The eldest son of Dominique Pelicot has shared the horrifying moment he discovered that his own father had drugged his mother and orchestrated her repeated rape by numerous men over a ten-year period. David Pelicot expressed his unforgiving stance towards his 72-year-old father, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in December last year.
Gisele, the mother, endured being rendered unconscious through a combination of sleeping pills and tranquilizers administered by Dominique, allowing him to facilitate the assaults by inviting strangers he had met online to their home in Mazan, near Avignon, France. Describing Pelicot’s despicable actions, David emphasized the transformation of his father from a parent figure to a monstrous perpetrator.
In a courageous move, Gisele decided to waive her anonymity to publicly disclose the profound betrayal she endured at the hands of her partner for five decades, spanning from 2011 to 2020. The exposure of Pelicot’s crimes occurred unexpectedly in 2020 following his arrest for illicit photography in a supermarket. Subsequent investigation revealed a trove of 20,000 abusive videos and images on his devices, many depicting Gisele as the unconscious victim.
Upon learning the distressing truth from his mother, David recounted the overwhelming emotions that flooded him, culminating in physical sickness. Despite appearing outwardly respectable, Dominique meticulously orchestrated his heinous acts in secrecy, drugging Gisele before recording the assaults by strangers on various occasions, including significant dates like her birthday and holidays.
David expressed his profound disbelief and anger upon discovering that his father, who had instilled values of respect for women in him, had committed such atrocities against their mother. Following his father’s conviction and imprisonment, David severed all ties with him, showing no inclination towards forgiveness despite a futile attempt by Dominique to reach out through a letter before the trial.
The traumatic impact of the revelations continues to haunt the family, with David resolute in his decision to never pardon his father, anticipating that the full extent of his dark deeds will accompany him to his grave within the confines of prison.