Gisèle Pelicot departs from the courtroom for the initial occasion.
In the Pelicot trial, one of the accused men is trying to lessen his involvement in the mistreatment of Gisele Pelicot, claiming he had "limited options" when it came to intimate interactions. This statement was too much for Gisele, who at 72 years old, walked out of the courtroom for the first time.
Trying to erase the stain of shame, Gisele Pelicot believes it's her abusers, not her, who should feel ashamed. A helpless woman, drugged and unable to defend herself, she became the target of these miscreants. Despite the trauma, Gisele has valiantly attended every court session, witnessing her tormentors and the videos that testify to her suffering. She listens, she bears it, but how, remains incomprehensible. Her response to accusations and insinuations of enjoying or consenting to the abuse is nothing short of heroic.
If not for the chance discovery of her years of abuse, Gisele might still not know the truth about her ordeal.
"Limited options"
On the 25th day of the trial, Gisele Pelicot unexpectedly leaves the courtroom amidst accusations from defendant Vincent C. Venturing to downplay the mistreatment, he claims "limited options" when it comes to intimate encounters, citing the internet forum as not a supermarket. Gisele can't fathom this man's words and walks out, according to BBC reports.
They viewed her as "garbage," is how Gisele describes the treatment her attackers subjected her to. Not all perpetrators have been identified, but with the evidence her husband has gathered, the rest are likely to follow.
Vincent C., a neighbor living nearby, has pushed Gisele to her breaking point. The French media reports that Vincent C. assaulted his victim twice – in October 2019 and January 2020. Video evidence found on Dominique Pelicot's computer serves to prove these incidents. Gisele Pelicot's husband sorted and labeled these videos with vulgar titles. Still trying to wriggle out of it, Vincent C. admits to having sex, but claims there was no intent or feeling of committing rape.
"Sex with an unconscious body"
The question that most would be interested in, according to the judge, is: "What pleasure is there in having sex with an unconscious body?" Vincent C. responds inconsistently, saying he had no interest but that it should serve the pleasure of the couple. Was Vincent C. simply being manipulated, or did someone take advantage of the helpless woman who was completely unconscious?
Vincent C.'s convoluted reasoning, as reported by Bild-Zeitung: "If my husband tells me, 'She has gone to bed, we'll wake her,' then for me, the question of consent does not arise." He was also "confident" because he believed, "I would be invited by the couple."
C. has a repeated history, at least in terms of online contact. Three months after the first rape, Vincent C. once again contacts Dominique Pelicot. Pelicot tells him that she found his previous actions strange. "Do you know that Gisele Pelicot was a victim of your actions?", the judge asks the defendant. Vincent C. responds with, "Yes." And continues: "Now that I know the sequence of events, the actions I undertook could be considered rape," Vincent C. acknowledges in court.
The Men? Disappear ...
As these statements and the rape videos are presented in court, C. hangs his head in submission before the judges, not daring to look at the screen. Just a few meters from his ex-wife, Dominique Pelicot also hides behind papers on the defendant's bench—she doesn't want to be seen, nor does she seem to want to witness the video content. Despite telling the co-defendant at the time: "We watched the video, and she liked it."
In light of Vincent C.'s admission, Gisele Pelicot feels even more violated, as he acknowledged having sex with an unconscious body, akin to committing rape. The courtroom hearing brings forth painful reminders of the rape incidents, causing Gisele to relive her trauma.
