72-year-old woman Gisèle Pelicot has sobering message for people who claim she 'consented' to husband's abuse for 10 years

Warning: This article contains discussion of rape which some readers may find distressing.

Taking to the stand in court this week after discovering that her own husband had enlisted up to 80 strangers to rape her in her sleep over a 10-year period, Gisèle Pelicot hit back at claims she'd given consent to her alleged abusers.

The 72-year-old first appeared before a judge in Avignon, France, on Tuesday, where her husband, 71-year-old Dominique was placed on trial for a number of sickening crimes.

The woman bravely spoke in court this week (Christophe SIMON / AFP) (Photo by CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images)

As many as 50 other men also stand accused of having been recruited by Dominique - after meeting him online - to perform sexual acts on the mother-of-three, after she'd been drugged.

The perpetrator is alleged to have used a mixture of sleeping tablets and other medication to ensure his wife slept through her torment.

None the wiser about the abuse, Gisèle only began to suspect something was wrong after her family members noticed she was becoming forgetful, and feared she was showing signs of Alzheimer's.

Her lawyer Stéphane Babonneau told press this week - after Gisèle opted to waive her automatic anonymity - that she'd once 'she woke in a panic with a new haircut without understanding how this was possible'.

"She went to her hairdresser, who told her she had been in the previous day," she solicitor explained.

It was around this time that Gisèle also began suffering gynaecological issues, having no idea that she was being raped by strangers on a regular basis.

She was joined by her three children in court (CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images)

As her abusers - as well as her own husband - stood trial this week, spectators were appalled to hear defence lawyers accusing the woman of having given some of them consent to have sex with her.

A lawyer could be heard asking her on Thursday (5 September): "Some defendants admit the facts, others contest all the facts, and others confirm they were present but deny it was rape.

"You caught four STDs and were exposed to HIV six times. What have you got to say to people who claim you consented to all this?"

It was then that Gisèle - who was joined by her three children - addressed the court by issuing a formidable statement.

"All I have to say is, it’s an insult to my intelligence," she courageously explained. "These individuals were totally aware of what state I was in. I never knowingly took part in any of these things.

"How can you even try and make people think that a woman would knowingly take part in all this?"

She issued a brave statement in court (CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images)

Dominique Pelicot's alleged crimes went undetected for over a decade, until he was arrested in 2020 for allegedly filming up women's skirts in a supermarket.

After investigating his home, police discovered he'd recorded countless assaults on his wife, and had kept the tapes in a USB drive called 'abuses'.

Over 20,000 images and films of Gisèle being raped and abused since 2011 were found.

Her husband's lawyer said he has 'always declared himself guilty', claiming he said: "I put her to sleep, I offered her, and I filmed."

Each of the men accused of abusing Gisèle while she was unconscious may face up to 20 years in jail if found guilty of the crimes.

The trial is set to last until December.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.