AVIGNON, France — On the surface, the individuals involved in this trial appear to be ordinary men. However, they are facing serious allegations of rape. Among them are fathers, grandfathers, husbands, and retirees — a total of 50 men accused of taking advantage of an incapacitated Gisèle Pelicot, all while her husband filmed the assaults to add to his private collection of videos.
This shocking trial in France has brought to light how modern influences such as pornography and chatrooms have contributed to a troubling culture that trivializes consent. The nightmare becomes even more surreal with the revelation that Dominique Pelicot orchestrated these crimes without any trouble recruiting a significant number of willing participants.
During the first weeks of the trial, nearly two dozen defendants provided testimony. One of them, Ahmed T., a married plumber with children and grandchildren, expressed that he wasn’t completely unsettled by Gisèle’s unresponsive state when he visited her home in 2019. He linked her stillness to portrayals in pornography featuring women who pretend to be asleep.
Many defendants echoed Ahmed T.’s sentiments, asserting they believed Gisèle was a consenting participant engaged in role-play, largely due to misleading information from Dominique Pelicot. In contrast, Dominique insisted that his co-defendants were fully aware of what transpired.
Céline Piques, from the feminist group Osez le Féminisme! (Dare Feminism!), noted that the trial starkly illustrates how pornography has influenced these men’s actions, pointing out that numerous videos depicting sexual encounters with seemingly unconscious females can still be found online, despite some platforms attempting to filter objectionable search terms. The prevalence of such material raises questions about society’s understanding of consent and accountability.
Last year, reports indicated that French authorities recorded 114,000 instances of sexual violence, with over 25,000 reported cases of rape. However, experts assert that the actual numbers are likely much higher, as 80% of women do not pursue charges and many cases are dismissed before thorough investigations take place.
Unlike typical cases, the trial involving Dominique Pelicot and his 50 co-defendants stands out due to its scale, nature, and the insistence of the victim for public proceedings. Following the exposure of Dominique filming women without their consent in 2020, authorities uncovered a trove of pornographic material on his devices, revealing a systematic record of encounters featuring his visitors.
Among the accused was Mahdi D., a transportation worker who maintained that he didn’t intend to harm Gisèle when he left his home on the night of October 5, 2018. While he admitted he might have been aware of Gisèle’s unconscious state, he struggled to label his actions as rape, leading prosecutors to suggest screening incriminating video footage linked to him.
As the trial progressed, it also stimulated considerable public discourse, resulting in protests and discussions across various French cities, as well as attracting attention from individuals eager to witness the proceedings firsthand, such as Florence Nack from Switzerland, who emphasized the shock of hearing testimonial accounts from perpetrators.
Cyprien C., a truck driver among the defendants, found himself unable to define his actions while confronted by the presiding judge. When pressured about the nature of the sexual act, he hesitated saying, “I can’t answer,” showcasing the reluctance of many defendants to confront the gravity of their alleged offenses.
Experts tackling sexual violence highlighted that the defendants’ reluctance to acknowledge their actions points to persistent societal taboos and prevalent stereotypes about rapists. Magali Lafourcade, a judge, pointed out the dissonance between the common perception of rapists and the reality, emphasizing that most attacks occur within private settings and that victims typically know their assailants.
As the trial unfolds, it becomes increasingly challenging to reconcile the testimonies with the defendants’ everyday personas, often described as caring and considerate individuals by family members.
In a sentiment echoed by others, Lafourcade remarked that the Pelicot case forces society to confront an uncomfortable truth: rapists can be anyone, blurring the line that separates them from ordinary individuals. “For once, they’re not monsters on the fringes of society,” she noted, suggesting that the revelations from this case may serve as a pivotal moment in discussions about consent and accountability.