The legal and emotional fallout from the Dominique Pelicot abuse trial continues to reverberate through his family. As 51 men, including Pelicot, were convicted of heinous crimes, his estranged wife, Gisèle, and their daughter, Caroline Darian, have been caught in a public and painful family rift. While Gisèle tries to rebuild her life in secrecy after divorcing Pelicot, Caroline claims she, too, was victimized by her father, though no evidence supports her allegations.
Gisèle Pelicot’s lawyer, Stéphane Babonneau, spoke out about the emotional toll of the trial and its impact on the Pelicot family. "When sexual assault happens within families, it tears the family apart, and that’s what happened here. It’s very sad, that’s why sexual assault has such impact even over generations," Babonneau told The Sunday Times, according to a report in mirror.co.uk.
The family’s rift appears to involve Pelicot’s only daughter, Caroline Darian, 46, who claims she too was drugged and attacked by her father, as per the news report. However, no evidence has surfaced to support her allegations. In response, Darian expressed frustration, claiming that her mother, Gisèle, has not supported her criminal complaints. Darian, who has authored a book about her ordeal, said, “Because of my father, I am now losing my mother.”
After the conviction of 51 men, including Dominique Pelicot, for crimes such as aggravated rape, Gisèle’s life has taken a dramatic turn. Babonneau confirmed that Gisèle, who divorced her husband in the summer of 2024, is now living at a secret address in a small French village. She has stopped using her married name and moved away from the former family home in Mazan, near Avignon, where the abuse occurred.
Despite the challenges, Babonneau stated that Gisèle is trying to remain “normal” and return to her life. “She also has to adjust to the fact she can’t go to the supermarket without being recognised — and she’s not an actor or celeb, it’s just because she participated in a trial,” he said.
While 51 men were convicted in December 2024 for their roles in the abuse, 17 of them have appealed their sentences. At least 20 assailants remain unidentified, captured on videos filmed by Dominique Pelicot during the assaults. These videos were vital prosecution evidence.
In a shocking development, Pelicot is facing new accusations of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in Paris in 1995. The woman, now 42, recently reported the assault after recognizing Pelicot in media coverage related to the Avignon trial. Pelicot’s lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro, denied the accusation, stating, “He absolutely denies this new accusation. He is absolutely stunned by it.”
In addition, Pelicot is under investigation for two unresolved cases in the Paris area: an attempted rape in 1999, which he confessed to, and an attempted rape and murder in 1991, which he denies, as per the news report.
Despite the personal and legal turmoil, Babonneau emphasised the human side of the story. “They are all genuine people trying to cope, and when Gisèle spoke after the verdict her first words were for her family,” he shared, highlighting the deep emotional struggle that continues for everyone involved.
Gisèle Pelicot, a French woman, became a symbol of courage and resilience after enduring years of covert abuse by her husband, Dominique Pelicot. Over a nine-year period, from 2011 to 2020, Gisèle was drugged and raped repeatedly by Dominique, who also orchestrated the involvement of 72 men through a website to assault her while unconscious. Gisèle only discovered the extent of the abuse in 2020 when Dominique was arrested for a separate crime, and police uncovered images of her being assaulted.
In 2024, Dominique and fifty other men stood trial for their crimes in Avignon. Gisèle waived her right to anonymity and participated in the public trial, which garnered worldwide attention. Her decision to speak out made her an international feminist icon, earning her recognition in the BBC's 2024 list of 100 women of the year and the Financial Times' list of influential women.
In December 2024, the court convicted 50 of the 51 men, including Dominique, for their roles in the abuse. Dominique received the maximum sentence of 20 years, while the other men received sentences ranging from 3 to 15 years. Gisèle's bravery in seeking justice has inspired countless individuals around the world.
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