The Husband Who Enabled 72 Men to Assault His Wife

In the quiet village of Mazan, France, Gisèle Pelicot was living a nightmare she couldn't remember.

For ten years, she woke up confused and exhausted, with gaps in her memory that doctors couldn't explain. Her devoted husband Dominique tenderly cared for her through mysterious illnesses, driving her to countless medical appointments as her health mysteriously declined. Neighbors admired his dedication. Her family praised his patience.

They had no idea he was the cause of her suffering.

What began as a routine arrest for a minor crime would expose one of the most shocking cases of systematic abuse in modern history. Hidden on Dominique's devices were 20,000 files documenting a decade of horror—evidence of how a trusted husband had drugged his wife unconscious and invited stranger after stranger into their home.

Seventy-two men. Ten years. One woman who couldn't remember any of it.

But this isn't just a story of unthinkable betrayal. When Gisèle learned the truth, she made a choice that would change everything. Instead of hiding in shame, she waived her right to anonymity. Instead of staying silent, she demanded the trial be public. Her courage to speak would inspire her daughter Caroline—who discovered she too had been systematically abused—to found a movement that would save countless others.

From the medical professionals who missed the signs to the legal system unprepared for such systematic evil, this case exposed dangerous gaps in how society protects its most vulnerable. More importantly, it revealed the extraordinary power of survivors who refuse to let their voices be silenced.

How many others are suffering in silence? How many predators hide behind masks of respectability? And what happens when two women decide that their pain will become their purpose?

This is the complete story of the Pelicot case—a testament to human evil and an even more powerful testament to human courage.

Discover how ordinary people can commit extraordinary evil, and how survivors can transform unthinkable trauma into unstoppable advocacy. Read their story. Join their fight.