The trial of a French man accused of recruiting dozens of men to rape his drugged wife has shocked the public. Dominique Pélicot, 71, is on trial for repeatedly raping his wife over the course of a decade, with 50 other men also facing charges for their involvement. Pélicot’s ex-wife, Gisèle, requested the trial be open to the public to raise awareness of drug-facilitated sexual abuse.
Another man, known as Jean-Pierre, was also accused of using the same tactics to drug and rape his own wife, allegedly with Pélicot’s help. Jean-Pierre, 63, admitted to the charges and explained that he met Pélicot in an online chatroom focused on drugging women without their knowledge. Pélicot allegedly provided sedatives to Jean-Pierre to use on his wife and even traveled to rape her himself.
Jean-Pierre’s son described his father as a victim of manipulation, citing his difficult upbringing. Despite the seriousness of the charges, Jean-Pierre’s wife chose not to participate in the trial to protect their children.
Overall, 51 people are involved in the trial, with most facing up to 20 years in jail if found guilty of aggravated rape. The trial is expected to continue until December, shedding light on the disturbing use of drugs to commit sexual abuse.
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