Prosecutors are probing past assaults that suggest Pelicot's history of violence extends far beyond his well-documented crimes against Gisèle Pelicot, who has emerged as a symbol for victims of abuse.
Dominique Pelicot: Suspected of More Than Just His Wife’s Assault
Dominique Pelicot: Suspected of More Than Just His Wife’s Assault
Shocking discoveries continue to unfold as police suspect further victims linked to Dominique Pelicot, notorious for his wife's exploitation.
February 10, 2025 - Dominique Pelicot, a man recently sentenced to 20 years in prison for the brutal sexual assault of his wife, Gisèle, is now under investigation for potentially being responsible for multiple other assaults that date back decades. Following a case that shocked France, police are uncovering alarming correlations between the series of assaults leading back to 1991.
When Gisèle Pelicot went public about her husband's heinous acts of drugging and inviting strangers to assault her between 2011 and 2020, the world listened. She has since become an emblem of resistance for victims of domestic abuse. However, law enforcement officials suspect her ordeal may only mark the beginning of Dominique Pelicot's pattern of criminal behavior.
While held in custody, authorities presented Mr. Pelicot with DNA evidence connecting him to a 1999 attempted rape of a 19-year-old woman in the Paris area— an encounter he initially denied but ultimately admitted to after intense questioning. Furthermore, he is implicated in the unsolved case of a 23-year-old real estate agent who was raped and murdered in 1991, with the evidence against him suggesting chilling similarities between the two incidents.
Both victims were similar in age and profession, and the methods of assault mirrored each other disturbingly, with signs of violent restraint and the application of drugs—ether, in particular—being common to both crime scenes. The gruesome detail that the victims' shoes were left neatly in place adds a warped layer to an already harrowing narrative.
As further investigations unfold, speculations continue to arise around the possibility of even more victims falling prey to Pelicot’s predatory behavior, bringing to light the necessity of ensuring justice for those affected and recognizing the pervasive nature of sexual violence in society.
When Gisèle Pelicot went public about her husband's heinous acts of drugging and inviting strangers to assault her between 2011 and 2020, the world listened. She has since become an emblem of resistance for victims of domestic abuse. However, law enforcement officials suspect her ordeal may only mark the beginning of Dominique Pelicot's pattern of criminal behavior.
While held in custody, authorities presented Mr. Pelicot with DNA evidence connecting him to a 1999 attempted rape of a 19-year-old woman in the Paris area— an encounter he initially denied but ultimately admitted to after intense questioning. Furthermore, he is implicated in the unsolved case of a 23-year-old real estate agent who was raped and murdered in 1991, with the evidence against him suggesting chilling similarities between the two incidents.
Both victims were similar in age and profession, and the methods of assault mirrored each other disturbingly, with signs of violent restraint and the application of drugs—ether, in particular—being common to both crime scenes. The gruesome detail that the victims' shoes were left neatly in place adds a warped layer to an already harrowing narrative.
As further investigations unfold, speculations continue to arise around the possibility of even more victims falling prey to Pelicot’s predatory behavior, bringing to light the necessity of ensuring justice for those affected and recognizing the pervasive nature of sexual violence in society.
