When asked whether they’d rather be stuck in a forest with a man or a bear, it’s telling that most women instinctively choose the bear—a reflection of the pervasive fear and distrust of men ingrained within our society. This case serves as yet another chilling reminder of why.

On Monday 2 September 2024, French pensioner Dominique Pelicot went on trial in Avignon for allegedly drugging his wife, Gisele Pelicot, 72, and allowing dozens of strangers to rape her in a case that has shocked the nation.

The 71-year-old man, a former employee of France’s state-owned power utility EDF, is the main suspect in the trial. Alongside him, 50 men, recruited online, are also being tried.

Police have documented 92 rapes committed by 72 men, 51 of whom have been identified. The men, aged between 26 and 74, are accused of raping the 72-year-old woman, who, according to her lawyers, was so heavily sedated that she was unaware of the abuse, which spanned over a decade.

Gisele Pelicot spoke calmly and clearly as she recounted the devastating impact of discovering that her husband had systematically filmed the suspected assaults while she was unconscious. Police later uncovered thousands of images stored on his devices.

“I was sacrificed on the altar of vice,” Gisele told the court. “They treated me like a rag doll, like a garbage bag… I no longer have an identity. I don’t know if I’ll ever rebuild myself.” She described the scenes as barbaric and called them acts of rape.

Shame Must Change Sides.

Gisèle Pélicot, a French national, endured at least 92 sexual assaults committed by over 72 men over 10 years, while she was drugged by her husband, Dominique Pélicot, who documented many of the rapes.
'She could have opted for a closed trial, but… pic.twitter.com/flEqMVxXe9

— !! Keerti !!✨ (@Keertizzz) September 4, 2024

Gisele decided to have a public trial, hoping that by sharing her story publicly, she could raise awareness and help prevent other women from facing similar horrors.

Her lawyer, Antoine Camus, told France Bleu radio that Gisele had no memory of the alleged rapes she suffered. The victim only learned of the abuse after her husband of 50 years was caught taking inappropriate photos of women in a supermarket in late 2020. This led police to search his phone and computer hard drives, where they discovered the evidence of Gisele’s abuse.

Gisele was allegedly assaulted by 72 different men between 2011 and 2020 while unconscious in her family home. She expressed gratitude to the police officer in Carpentras who arrested her husband, saying, “He saved my life, and I probably wouldn’t be here without him.”

The couple, who had three children together, had retired to a small town in Provence. “I thought we were a close couple,” she told the court. After police showed her the images documenting her alleged abuse, she left her husband, taking only two suitcases. “That was all that was left of 50 years of life together,” she said.

Gisele recounted the reaction of her daughter, who “screamed like a wild beast” upon hearing the allegations. “I will never forget this,” she said. She added that her sons were initially in shock and struggled to comprehend the situation.

Investigators uncovered communications that Gisele’s husband, Dominique, allegedly sent through a messaging website commonly used by criminals, inviting men to sexually abuse his wife. French authorities shut down the website earlier this year.

Dominique Pelicot, along with the 50 other men who have been identified (aged between 22 and 70), are currently standing trial on charges of rape and face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Some of the defendants have denied the accusations, claiming that Dominique manipulated them. The trial, which began on Monday, is expected to continue until December.

As of now, horrific details of the alleged abuse have emerged during the trial. Dominique Pelicot, who reportedly videotaped the assaults, set strict rules for the men he invited into the couple’s home, including prohibiting loud talking, requiring them to undress in the kitchen, and banning the use of perfume or tobacco.

The trial is ongoing, with the defendants appearing in small groups before a panel of five judges. Dominique Pelicot is scheduled to testify next week.

This case, like so many others, is a stark reminder of the terrifying realities women face in a world still riddled with gender-based violence.

According to a report on femicides in Europe by the European Data Journalism Network by the European Data Journalism Network, the alarming rise in femicides, like the 187.5 per cent increase in Greece during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the surge in violence against women in countries like Sweden, highlights an urgent, global crisis. From physical to economic and online abuse, the threats women face are escalating. It’s not enough to acknowledge these horrors—we must act to create a world where women don’t have to choose a bear over a man.