A French woman who was allegedly abused by her ex-husband and more than 50 other men testified in court for the first time on Thursday.
Gisele Perico, 72, was allegedly drugged and raped by her ex-husband, Dominic Perico, after he invited men to join him in the abuse online. Perico filmed the alleged acts, which police used to ultimately arrest him and dozens of others on rape charges after a two-year investigation.
Dominic Perico, also in his 70s, is accused of hiring at least 72 men to assault his wife between 2011 and 2020. Police were able to track down 50 of the suspects before trial.
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In September 2020, Dominic came under police scrutiny after he was caught taking photos of a woman's crotch in a supermarket, after which police discovered thousands of photos and videos on his personal devices that showed the aggravated assault of Gisele.
“I can't stand it,” Gisele said. “I have so much to say, I don't know where to start.”
Gisele and Dominic were married for 50 years before police revealed the extent of the abuse allegations in 2020. The couple have three children.
Gisele Perico speaks to media as she leaves the Avignon courthouse in the south of France, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. The woman, who was allegedly drugged by her ex-husband so that she could be raped by another man while unconscious, is scheduled to testify before a panel of French judges. (AP Photo/Louis Joly)
“For me, everything falls apart,” Gisele testified. “This is a scene of brutality and rape.”
Gisele's lawyers argued that she was unaware that the rapes were happening in her home for nearly a decade because she was crushing up pills and taking large amounts of them. She waived her legal right to a closed trial, hoping that her public testimony could help other victims of similar sexual assaults.
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Called to testify on Thursday, a toxicologist claimed she was given a “drug cocktail” that could have rendered her unconscious – Temesta, Zolpidem, a sleeping pill and an anti-anxiety medication – and Gisele acknowledged she has memory holes from several years ago when the abuse allegedly took place.
Dominic Perico told police he imposed certain household rules on the suspects, including no perfume and thorough hand-washing, and the suspects were required to remove their clothes before entering the bedroom.
Gisele Perico, left, arrives at the Avignon Courthouse in Avignon, southern France, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. The woman, who was allegedly drugged by her ex-husband so that she could be raped by another man while unconscious, is scheduled to testify before a panel of French judges. (AP Photo/Louis Joly)
Medical experts say she contracted sexually transmitted diseases at least four times during nearly a decade of abuse. The women were allegedly forced by Dominique to use condoms, some of whom were HIV positive. HIV infection is not a crime in France except in certain circumstances.
“I was sacrificed on the altar of vice,” Gisele Perico testified. “They treated me like a stuffed animal, like a garbage bag.”
Several of the defendants, ranging in age from 22 to 70, claim they were manipulated by Dominic Perico into abusing them, including by having to wait nearby for up to 90 minutes while Gisele Perico lost consciousness.
Gisele Perico arrives at the Avignon Courthouse in Avignon, southern France, Thursday, September 5, 2024. The woman, who was allegedly drugged by her ex-husband so that she could be raped by other men while unconscious, is scheduled to testify before a panel of French judges. (AP Photo/Louis Joly)
“These men entered my house and followed the rules that were imposed on them. They did not rape me with a gun to my head. They raped me according to their conscience,” Gisele testified. “Why didn't I go to the police station? An anonymous call could have saved my life.”
The trial, which began on Monday, is expected to last for the next four months. If convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.
“We have to fight to the end,” Gisele insisted.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
