In November 2011, Gisèle Pelicot found herself sleeping excessively, much to her frustration. Despite this, she was content with her husband of 38 years, Dominique, and their plans to retire to the village of Mazan in Provence. They had weathered challenges in their relationship over the years, but Gisèle believed they were meant to grow old together.
However, unbeknownst to Gisèle, Dominique had developed disturbing online habits that would ultimately shatter their lives. He began drugging her with sleeping pills, enabling him to engage in sexual acts with her while she was unconscious. Over time, he enlisted other men to participate in these heinous acts, filming the abuse for his own twisted pleasure.
As Gisèle’s health deteriorated and her suspicions occasionally surfaced, she remained oblivious to the horrors happening behind closed doors. It wasn’t until Dominique’s arrest for filming women in a supermarket that the full extent of his depravity came to light. Police discovered thousands of videos and photos depicting Gisèle’s rape, as well as evidence of other men involved in similar crimes.
The revelation of her husband’s atrocities left Gisèle reeling, as law enforcement worked to track down the perpetrators in the videos. The realization that other women may be suffering at the hands of their partners added another layer of anguish to an already devastating situation.
Ultimately, Gisèle’s world was shattered by the unfathomable betrayal of the man she had loved for decades. The harrowing ordeal exposed a dark and twisted side of her husband that she had never imagined, leaving her to grapple with the unimaginable trauma inflicted upon her.