The 'Horrific' Case of a French Man Who Drugged His Wife to Facilitate Rape by Strangers

In France, the trial of Dominique P., a retired man accused of drugging his wife to bring strangers to their home for rape, has begun. This case, described as 'horrific,' has shocked French society, and the judge agreed to hold the trial publicly during the first session. Roger Arata, the president of the criminal court in the Vaucluse region in Avignon, southern France, announced on Monday morning, after a 30-minute suspension of the session, that 'the discussions will be public.' This comes despite the prosecutor's request for a closed session, emphasizing that real footage recorded by the husband 'must necessarily be broadcast' and that 'the public nature of the trial will not only be dangerous but will also destroy the dignity of individuals.' Some defense attorneys argued that the trial should not turn into a spectacle. However, the plaintiff's lawyers, representing the main victim known in the media as Ghislaine P., 72 years old, insisted that their client wants the trial to be 'completely and thoroughly' public. Additionally, the couple's three children also demanded that the court sessions be public. Antoine Camus, the plaintiff's lawyer, stated regarding the request for public proceedings that 'my client has waived the request for a closed session that she initially intended to make to the criminal court. Finally, her time has come, and today she realizes that many lessons can be learned from her case, which is why her first wish is for this matter to be revealed. Silence is what rapists ultimately want: certainly those who are currently in custody, but also those who are still out and continue this kind of behavior.' Due to the large number of defendants, totaling 51 aged between 26 and 74, this case has become an almost exceptional case in France, with proceedings expected to last four months in the criminal court. The defendants appeared one by one in court this morning to introduce themselves. Dominique P., the 71-year-old husband and main defendant, spoke somewhat ironically when introducing himself, saying, 'My house, you know, is a prison.' Unlike other defendants, he did not wear a mask. Mr. Camus emphasized that his client does not know all the aspects of this case, and therefore, all issues must be raised. He stated, 'It must be clearly reminded what relates to the main victim, as she will truly experience in court for the first time, albeit belatedly, what has happened to her. We know that she was unaware of what was imposed on her, so she has no memory of the assaults she endured over ten years, and she will discover them during these four months. This is what will make this case, as far as she is concerned, a completely horrific tragedy.' The judicial process for this controversial case has become a symbol of the issue of 'submission due to ingesting a chemical or drug.' These chemicals, colloquially referred to as 'rape drugs,' make a person passive and susceptible to becoming a victim of sexual assault. During the investigation, the husband confessed that on some nights he had given his wife strong anti-anxiety medications without her knowledge. After that, men he contacted through the internet would rape the woman. He stated that the first incident occurred in 2011 when the couple was still living in the Paris area. They moved to the town of Mazan near Avignon in 2013, and these events continued until the fall of 2020. The couple moved to Mazan in 2013. His lawyer said on Monday morning that her client is ashamed of what he has done and that his actions are unforgivable. This lawyer added that her client knows what he has done and has 'not objected to it since the beginning of the case.' Among those who raped this woman were firefighters, craftsmen, nurses, prison guards, and even a journalist, who were single, married, or separated. Most of them raped the woman once, and ten of them visited the couple's home multiple times, sometimes up to six times, to rape her. According to experts, the rapists do not suffer from any psychological damage and have referred to their 'absolute ability' over the woman's body. Some of them said they thought they were just participating in a couple's adventurous lifestyle. However, the husband stated that 'everyone knew' the woman had taken drugs and was unconscious. The husband added that he told them they could either leave the house or rape his wife. He had chosen the men he employed for the rapes from a dating website that was blocked last June for harboring 'sexual predators.' He had given these men strict instructions not to wake the victim: 'Do not have the smell of perfume or cigarettes and warm yourself up. Put your hands under hot water.' The victim discovered everything when she was 68 years old, after 50 years of marriage. She realized when her husband was arrested in 2020 for filming under a woman's skirt in a shopping center. Investigators found hundreds of photos and videos on his computer showing his wife clearly unconscious and being raped by strangers. She had not asked the rapists for money. The main defendant has also been charged in two other cases; one for murder with sexual assault in Paris in 1991, which he denies, and another for attempted sexual assault in the suburbs of Paris in 1999, which he confessed to after his identity was confirmed by DNA. Antoine Camus commented on the hypothesis of whether the victim knew she was being raped, saying, 'With what backward mind can one imagine that this woman might voluntarily, knowingly, or even with awareness be in such a calm and completely voluntary state? As shown in the films we have for each of these cases, she is in such a calm state at home that at first, we think she is dead, until we later find out she is still breathing. Clearly, this possibility makes no sense, but unfortunately, this again highlights the problems that still exist in this society regarding the concept of consent in sexual matters.' On Monday morning, before the trial session began, a group of members of women's rights advocacy groups gathered outside the court in Avignon. They were dressed in black and chanted: 'Rapists, we see you, victims, we believe you.'