A shocking trial has commenced in France, where 71-year-old Dominique P. is accused of drugging his wife and allowing more than 80 men to rape her over nearly a decade, the Guardian reports.
The case, which has deeply disturbed the nation, involves 50 other men who are also on trial for their alleged participation in the abuse.
The hearings got underway at an Avignon court on Monday. Dominique P. and the other fifty co-defendants are accused of aggravated rape; if found guilty, they could spend up to 20 years in prison. The case revolves around horrifying alleged incidents that happened at the couple’s Mazan, Provence small town residence.
Police claim Dominique P. surreptitiously gave his wife anti-anxiety drugs and sleeping pills by dissolving them in her wine or food. He allegedly invited men he met in an online chatroom where users fantasized about performing non-consensual acts to come to their home and rape her once she was unconscious. It was said that the abuse lasted for nearly ten years.
The investigation revealed that Dominique P. had meticulously planned the assaults, instructing the men to avoid wearing fragrances or smoking to ensure his wife remained unaware. They were also told to leave immediately if she showed any signs of waking.
The case came to light after Dominique P. was arrested on November 2, 2020, when a security guard caught him filming up the skirts of women in a local supermarket. During the investigation, police discovered a USB drive labeled “abuses” containing 20,000 images and videos documenting the repeated rapes of his wife.
Since his arrest, Dominique P. has admitted his guilt, according to his lawyer.
“I put her to sleep, I offered her, and I filmed,” he reportedly confessed.
Other grave accusations against Dominique P., such as the 1991 rape and murder of a 23-year-old real estate agent in Paris, are also discussed in this trial. Thanks to DNA evidence, investigators were able to connect him to the crime. They also think that he might have attacked another estate agent in a similar situation.
After learning of the abuse, the woman at the center of the case—who is currently divorced from Dominique P.—was reportedly devastated. She had been drugged to the point of being almost unconscious, according to investigators, and she had no memory of the assaults. Her attorney explained how her spouse had convinced her that she had an inexplicable illness and that her symptoms were simply the result of the strain of looking after their grandchildren.
The trial is expected to last four months, with the defendants, including individuals from various professions such as local officials, nurses, and civil servants, facing serious consequences if found guilty. The case has sparked widespread outrage in France, highlighting the disturbing nature of the crimes and the vulnerability of the victim.
