In a harrowing trial that began on September 2 in Avignon, France, a woman shockingly revealed the horrifying ordeal she endured for nearly a decade. The accused, a 71-year-old man named Dominique (last name withheld), stands accused of drugging and repeatedly raping his wife, Gisèle, 72. Adding to the gravity of the case, court documents reveal that Dominique also allegedly invited dozens of other men to rape his unconscious wife in their own home.

The trial opened with Gisèle, wearing sunglasses, accompanied by her daughter and two sons by her side. Over the course of the next four months, she will face her accused abusers, the majority of whom are strangers to her. Prosecutors assert that Dominique recruited men online to carry out these heinous acts after administering sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication to incapacitate his wife.

Dominique faces nine charges, ranging from multiple counts of rape with aggravating circumstances to drugging a victim to commit rape, and the distribution of images related to the assaults. Astonishingly, evidence of the alleged rapes was discovered when Dominique documented some of the assaults on camera.

The accused has been held in pre-trial detention since 2020 and remained composed in the courtroom wearing a black t-shirt while facing his wife. Dominique's lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro, acknowledged his client's guilt, stating, "He recognizes that he's done what he has done." Zavarro also mentioned that there had been no denial of the accusations during the investigation.

Meanwhile, the men accused of participating in these rapes sat with bowed heads. Court documents reveal that the police have identified at least 92 sexual assaults committed by 72 men, aged between 26 and 74. Fifty of them have been identified, charged with aggravated or attempted rape, and are now standing trial alongside Gisèle's husband. The assaults allegedly began in 2011 and continued for nearly a decade.

The shocking truth came to light in 2020 when Dominique's illicit actions were exposed during an unrelated incident at a shopping center, where he was caught filming under women's skirts. Upon seizing his phone and computer, the police discovered evidence of the abuses, leading to the investigation and Gisèle being made aware of the extent of her suffering.

During the trial, Gisèle bravely listened to the reading of the horrific acts committed against her and the arguments presented by the defense lawyers. Her lawyer, Stéphane Babonneau, explained, "It was very difficult. It was unbearable for her to hear people say they thought she was pretending to sleep and were convinced it was consensual."

Remarkably, Gisèle chose not to request a private trial. According to Babonneau, she wanted it to be public so that everyone could hear the excuses given by men in such circumstances, shedding light on the profound effects of drug-facilitated sexual assault.

Gisèle's daughter has now launched an awareness campaign called "M'endors Pas" ("Don't put me to sleep") to highlight drug-facilitated sexual assault. She revealed that her mother sought medical advice for memory loss and extreme fatigue caused by the drugs, but the medical profession failed to detect the underlying problem.

The trial is set to continue until December 20, when a verdict will be reached. Throughout this process, Gisèle's bravery and determination serve as a testament to the strength of survivors, while also highlighting the urgent need to address and combat the issue of sexual assault.