French woman Gisele Pelicot claims that police intervention in uncovering a purported mass rape orchestrated by her husband was a life-saving act.

French woman Gisele Pelicot testified at her husband’s trial in Avignon, where he stands accused of drugging her and inviting strangers to rape her over the course of a decade. She credited the police for uncovering the crimes and expressed shock and devastation over the evidence presented. Pelicot insisted on a public trial to reveal the full extent of the abuse. Her husband, Dominique P., admitted guilt to the accusations and meticulously recorded the assaults on a hard drive labeled “abuse.” More than 50 men were identified and charged in connection with the assaults, with a third being found through facial recognition software. The trial is expected to last four months, during which Pelicot will have to relive the events she has no memory of. She described the abuse as rape scenes, not sex scenes, and denied any complicity in the acts. The defense questioned the couple’s relationship dynamics and Pelicot’s awareness of the abuse, causing her distress. Prosecutors detailed how the abuse started in Paris and continued in a small village in Provence, with strict instructions given to the men on how to avoid waking her during the assaults. Despite the emotional toll, Pelicot is determined to seek justice and bring awareness to the horrors she endured. The trial will continue with the remaining defendants, with the hopes of holding them accountable for their roles in the abuse.

Source
Photo credit www.cbsnews.com