Dominique Pelicot’s daughter, Caroline Darian, has said her father must face the consequences of his crimes, which include 20 years in prison. In a heartbreaking interview, Ms Darian described how discovering her father was a convicted rapist and his victim left her feeling lost and alone.
Pelicot was sentenced to 20 years after being caught drugging his then-wife Gisèle with tranquilizers and sleeping pills before raping her himself and inviting other men to do the same. Police found thousands of videos and photos on Pelicot’s devices, including images of Ms Darian herself when she was unconscious.
Ms Darian says she is still mourning the loss of a part of herself after learning about her father’s crimes, which has left her feeling “crushed” by the dual burden of being both his victim and daughter. She has since founded a movement called Don’t Put Me Under (#MendorsPas) to raise awareness about chemical submission.
The 46-year-old is adamant that her father should never be allowed free again, despite it possibly taking years for him to become eligible for parole. Ms Darian described the emotional pain of confronting her own identity as the daughter of a convicted rapist, saying “I’ve got a part of his DNA” and struggles to reconcile being the daughter of both Gisèle and Dominique Pelicot.
Her recent book, I’ll Never Call Him Dad Again, chronicles the first year after discovering her father’s shocking crimes. With her father unlikely to be released from prison anytime soon, Ms Darian is determined to see justice served and raise awareness about chemical submission.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/dominque-pelicot-daughter-gisele-rape-trial-france-b2677804.html