72-year-old Gisèle Pelicot receives powerful reaction from strangers after facing husband who abused her for decade without her realising in court

Warning: this article discusses rape and sexual assault which some readers may find distressing.

Gisèle Pelicot, the 72-year-old woman at the centre of a high-profile court case in France, was greeted at a French courthouse with applause after waiving her right to anonymity in the landmark trial.

Disgraced ex-electrician Dominique Pelicot, 71, has admitted to drugging and raping his wife, Gisèle, as well as recruiting dozens of strangers to rape her over the course of a decade.

He told the court: “I am a rapist, like everyone else in this courtroom.”

Over the course of a decade, Dominique stands accused of having recruited at least 72 other men to rape his wife without her knowledge, as he placed her into a 'coma like' state after drugging her evening meal.

Gisèle Pelicot is being supported by her children in court (CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images)

51 other men have been identified by police and are facing charges of rape after allegedly being recruited on an online chatroom which has since been shut down.

Following his admission of guilt, Dominique added: "They all knew, they cannot say the contrary."

He then said of his wife, Gisèle: "She did not deserve this.

"I was very happy with her."

Given the opportunity to respond, Gisèle said: "It is difficult for me to listen to this. For 50 years, I lived with a man who I would've never imagined could be capable of this. I trusted him completely."

Gisèle's choice to waive anonymity and her wish to 'strive for complete publicity' until the end of the trial has sparked a feminist uprising in France.

"Activists have praised her 'dignified, courageous and radical' demeanour, in the face of sexual assaults that otherwise thrive by silencing women with shame and fear," as per NBC.

Gisèle Pelicot was greeted with flowers at the courthouse (CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images)

When arriving at the courthouse yesterday (17 September), Gisèle was greeted with groups of supporters applauding her and offering her bouquets of flowers.

In a video from NBC News, one woman calls to Gisèle outside the courthouse (translated from French): "We are with you. Brave, Madam. We are with you, Gisèle."

Her attorney Stephane Babonneau previously stated that Gisèle's wish for the trial to be public is 'a way of saying shame must change sides.'

Dominique's unthinkable crimes against his wife of 50 years were discovered in 2020, following an arrest for filming underneath women's skirts in a supermarket - known as 'upskirting'.

Police then seized Dominique's devices, and uncovered a file called 'abuses' which featured over 20,000 images of Gisèle, dating back to 2011.

Gisèle had no recollection of the abuse and only discovered what had happened to her when showed footage by police.

Gisèle Pelicot's attorney said her refusal of anonymity was a way of saying 'shame must change sides' (CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images)

The 72-year-old mother of three believed she was suffering from Alzheimer's, as a result of the drug-induced memory loss.

She also suffered bouts of serious gynaecological issues as her alleged attackers did not wear condoms.

Giving testimony at trial, Gisèle said: "They regarded me like a rag doll, like a garbage bag.

“When you see that woman drugged, mistreated, a dead person on a bed - of course the body is not cold, it’s warm, but it’s as if I’m dead."

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.