A shocking case that has gripped France began its trial on September 2, 2024, in Avignon, where a 71-year-old French pensioner, Dominique P., stands accused of drugging his wife and facilitating her rape by dozens of men over a decade. The accused, a former employee of France’s power utility company EDF, allegedly orchestrated the repeated sexual abuse of his wife by recruiting men online and inviting them to their home in Mazan, a small town in southern France.
The case involves 50 men, aged between 26 and 74, who are being tried alongside Dominique P. for their participation in the rapes. Police identified 51 out of 72 men involved in the abuse, with a total of 92 rapes counted over the years. The men include individuals from various walks of life, such as a forklift driver, a fire brigade officer, a company boss, and a journalist. Some were single, while others were married or divorced, with some having families of their own. Although most of the men participated only once, some engaged in the abuse multiple times, up to six occasions.
The horrifying details emerged after police began investigating Dominique P. in September 2020. He was caught secretly filming under the skirts of women in a shopping center, which led authorities to search his computer. There, they discovered hundreds of photos and videos showing his wife, visibly unconscious and often in a fetal position, being raped by numerous men. These images, allegedly taken over several years, depicted the abuse that occurred in the couple’s home in Mazan, as well as in their previous residence near Paris.
The abuse reportedly started in 2011 and continued until it was uncovered in 2020. According to prosecutors, Dominique P. admitted to giving his wife powerful sedatives, such as Temesta, an anxiety-reducing drug, to keep her unconscious during the attacks. The victim, who appeared in court supported by her three children, has no recollection of the abuse, which she only discovered in 2020.
The trial is expected to be an “ordeal” for the victim, as she will be forced to confront the traumatic events for the first time. Despite the option of holding the trial behind closed doors, she chose to have it conducted publicly, with her lawyer Antoine Camus stating that a private trial would have been in the interests of the attackers, not the victim.
Dominique P. is also facing charges for a 1991 murder and rape, which he denies, and an attempted rape in 1999, which he has admitted to following DNA testing. Although experts have determined that he does not suffer from any mental illness, they have noted that he has a need to feel “all-powerful” over the female body.
The trial is scheduled to continue until December 20, 2024, with the possibility of further legal proceedings against Dominique P. in connection to other crimes.