Recruiting Men to Drug and Sexually Assault Wife...Victim Requests "Public Trial"

Defense Requests Closed Trial Citing Dignity
Victim Angered... "Want to Widely Publicize the Case"
Lawyer: "Shame Belongs to the Perpetrator, Not the Victim"

A French woman who was sexually assaulted by dozens of men while being manipulated by her husband for 10 years has requested a public trial.

According to the French daily Le Figaro on the 4th (local time), the victim, Giselle Pellico (72), requested the court to hold a public trial during the first hearing of the defendants at the Avignon court on the 2nd. Her husband, Dominique Pellico (72), was charged with secretly putting sedatives into Giselle's drink from July 2011 to October 2020 to make her lose consciousness, then inviting men he met through internet chats to sexually assault his wife. A total of 51 men who complied with Dominique's proposal and sexually assaulted Giselle were also brought to trial, and the hearing began.

Dominique Pellico, husband of the victim. Photo by X (formerly Twitter) capture

The prosecution argued, "This case could become a public spectacle," and "Considering the sensitivity of the matter, the trial should be conducted privately." The defense attorneys for the defendants also agreed with the prosecution's opinion, stating, "To protect our clients' privacy and dignity, the trial should be held behind closed doors." However, Giselle, who was attending the trial, strongly protested, saying, "I cannot tolerate this." Giselle's lawyer also sharply criticized, saying, "Such considerations should have been made before the trial." It is unreasonable for those who violated Giselle's dignity by committing sexual crimes to talk about their own dignity in court.

The lawyer stated, "My client believes there is no reason for the trial to be closed," and "We want the reality of what he endured to be known to everyone. If the trial is held privately, he will be left alone in court with the more than 50 men who sexually assaulted him." Another lawyer added, "Giselle wants to publicize this matter as widely as possible. He wants to instill in countless crime victims the belief that 'we can confront this head-on,'" emphasizing, "A public trial is the message he is sending. Shame should belong to the defendants, not the victim."

In response, the presiding judge accepted the requests of Giselle and her lawyers and decided to proceed with a public trial. During recess, Giselle entered and exited through the main gate accessible to the public, refusing to use the separate entrance prepared for victims. It is reported that she told her lawyer, "I hope people do not think I will hide."