A French prosecutor said Monday that a husband who planned the mass rape of his wife for almost 10 years, drugged her into unconsciousness, and shared photos and videos of the attacks should be sentenced to the maximum of 20 years in jail.
In a trial that garnered international attention and evolved into an investigation into the prevalence of sexual violence in France and beyond, Dominique Pelicot, 71, has admitted the accusations.
Public prosecutor Laure Chabaud told the court that the maximum sentence of 20 years is both excessive and insufficient given the gravity of the repeated and violent actions.
The majority of the 50 other men on trial have stated that they were unaware that they were raping Gisele Pelicot, that they had no intention of raping her, and that they blamed her former husband for manipulating them.
Over the course of the following two days, the prosecutors will announce the punishment they hope to impose on each of them. Around December 20, the verdicts and punishments are anticipated.
Beatrice Zavarro, Dominique Pelicot’s attorney, told reporters that the prosecution’s request for the maximum penalty was not surprising.
Gisele Pelicot, who is also 71, urged that the trial be held in public rather than behind closed doors, stating that she thought it would encourage more women to speak up and demonstrate that victims have nothing to be embarrassed of.
Over the previous few weeks, her husband’s video, which has been played in court, has frequently shown her sitting still and occasionally dozing as the accused—including her husband—abused her.
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