French Prosecutors Seek Maximum Sentence for Dominique Pelicot in Mazan Rape Case

Dominique Pelicot faces 20 years in prison for drugging his ex-wife and orchestrating her rape by dozens of men over a decade.

Dominique Pelicot, 71, is accused of drugging his ex-wife Gisèle Pelicot and facilitating her rape by at least 49 men between 2011 and 2020 in their home in Mazan, France.
Prosecutors have requested the maximum sentence of 20 years, citing the severity and repeated nature of the crimes, which they described as 'abject' and 'odious.'
The case has prompted national reflection on issues of consent, gender relations, and the adequacy of legal penalties for sexual violence in France.
Evidence includes 20,000 photos and videos documenting the assaults, which were discovered during a police investigation following Pelicot's 2020 arrest for unrelated voyeurism charges.
Gisèle Pelicot, now 72, has been praised for her resilience and decision to keep the trial public, becoming a symbol of the fight against sexual violence.