A French court in Avignon is set to decide the fate of Dominique Pelicot, a 72-year-old accused of repeatedly raping his heavily sedated wife over a decade. The case has sparked widespread outrage globally.
Pelicot admitted using an online chatroom to recruit men to abuse his wife, stating he shares responsibility with other defendants in the trial. He faces up to 20 years in prison for allegedly drugging and raping his wife over 200 times by 70 different men.
Fifty others are also on trial, with some admitting guilt while others claim they were manipulated into having sex with Pelicot’s wife. Prosecutors seek sentences ranging from four to 20 years, with the maximum requested for Pelicot himself.
The court’s decision is expected to be “long” but may not adequately address the severity of the acts, according to Public Prosecutor Laure Chabaud. The trial has raised questions about consent and manipulation in cases of alleged sexual assault.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/pelicot-rape-trial-verdict-sentences-12-19-24-intl/index.html