Rape scandal in France drives public to the streets

In France, the judge's decision in the scandal involving 71-year-old Dominique Pelicot, who invited at least 50 different men to his home to rape his drugged wife, has triggered anger. At the court in the French city of Avignon, Judge Roger Arata's announcement that the trial would be postponed because Dominique Pelicot was too ill to attend was met with backlash.

Following the postponement of the trial, women's associations across the country organized protest demonstrations in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Annecy, Rouen, Rennes, Tours, Clermont-Ferrand, Montpellier, and Nice for 72-year-old Gisele Pelicot, who was subjected to gang rape.

Thousands of women gathered at the Place de la République in Paris to condemn the court's decision. Protesters carried banners reading, "Shame must change sides," "Victims, we believe you; rapists, we see you," "Stop violence against women and children," and "A femicide every 3 days, a rape every 7 minutes."

MORE THAN THREE THOUSAND PHOTOS AND VIDEOS HAD BEEN FOUND

Dominique Pelicot was first caught by a security guard in 2020 while secretly taking photos under women's skirts at a supermarket, and following the incident, police found images of his wife on Pelicot's phone and computer. Gisele Pelicot, who was unaware of the sexual assaults she suffered because she was under the influence of drugs, left her husband after being informed by the police.

Subsequent investigations revealed that Pelicot had invited men to the home he shared with his wife through a website. According to reports in the French press, Pelicot had set certain rules for the individuals coming to the house, such as not speaking loudly, taking off their clothes in the kitchen, and not using perfume.

As a result of an investigation lasting approximately 2 years, police were able to identify 50 of the 72 suspects, whose ages ranged from 22 to 70. More than 3,800 photos and videos of those moments were found on Dominique Pelicot's computer.