Gisèle Pelicot’s sons say father should be ‘punished’ for drugging and raping her

The sons of Gisèle Pelicot – the French woman whose husband admitted this drug her and let dozens of men rape her over the course of several years – testified at their father’s trial and called for his punishment.

The trial of 71-year-old Dominique Pelicot, Gisele’s husband, has shocked observers around the world after he said he drugged her and filmed the rapes for nearly a decade between 2011 and 2020, the British newspaper said. The times.

On Monday November 18, the children of Dominique and Gisele; sons David and Florian; and daughter, whose pen name is Caroline Darian; all testified at the trial in Avignon, France, according to Reuters, The New York Times And France 24.

“Our family has been destroyed,” David Pelicot said, according to Reuters. “I expect from this trial that … these men, and (Dominique), will be punished for the horrors they inflicted on my mother.”

According to the outlet, David, 50, also said the family destroyed photos of his father.

Florian Pelicot echoed his brother’s call for punishment, asking for a long sentence “so that victims no longer have to be afraid to say anything,” according to Reuters.

The New York Times reported that Florian also testified that the case had led to the dissolution of his own marriage.

Darian, who had previously testified Earlier in the trial, she also said on Monday that she now believes she was drugged and abused by her father.

“The only difference between her and me is the lack of evidence about me,” Darian said, according to France 24. “For me it is an absolute tragedy.”

Want to stay up to date with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime Newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

A total of 51 men are on trial accused of raping Gisele, although a number of others are also believed to have sexually assaulted her.

Gisèle was unaware of the alleged rapes until police told her after discovering thousands of photos and videos taken by her husband, who documented the assaults after recruiting strangers via the Internet: The New York Times reported, with reference to the report of the investigating judge.

Dominique was previously arrested in December 2020 after allegedly filming up the skirts of three women, prosecutors said.

Gisele, 71, also spoke to the court for the last time on Monday, calling it a “trial for cowardice,” according to Reuters.

“It’s time for the macho, patriarchal society that trivializes rape to change… It’s time for us to change the way we view rape,” Gisele reportedly said.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit rainn.org.