Frenchman on Trial for Orchestrating Strangers to Rape Drugged Wife for 10 Years

Avignon, France — A French pensioner has begun standing trial for orchestrating the rape of his wife by numerous strangers over a decade, a case that has shocked the nation. The main suspect, Dominique P., a 71-year-old former employee of France’s state-owned power utility EDF, faces charges of drugging his wife to facilitate the abuse. Alongside him, fifty men, recruited through online platforms, are also on trial. Collectively, they are accused of committing 92 rapes involving 72 different perpetrators, with 51 individuals identified by police.

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The men, whose ages range from 26 to 74, are charged with sexually assaulting the 72-year-old woman, who, according to her legal team, was so heavily sedated that she remained unaware of the abuse. The trial, held in the southern city of Avignon, is notable for its public nature, as presiding judge Roger Arata has announced that all hearings will be open to the public. This decision aligns with the victim's request for transparency, aiming to raise awareness about the horrific events and ensure that such abuses are never repeated.

The trial has been emotionally challenging for the victim, who was supported by her three children in court. Her attorneys, Stéphane Babonneau and Antoine Camus, have highlighted the difficulty of reliving the trauma of the abuse. Camus noted that the woman, who only became aware of the abuse in 2020, would now have to confront the details of the rapes she suffered.

The investigation into Dominique P. began in September 2020 after he was caught filming under the skirts of women in a shopping center. During the subsequent police search, investigators discovered hundreds of images and videos of his wife, who was unconscious in many of them, on his computer. These images depicted multiple instances of rape in the couple’s home in Mazan, a small village near Avignon.

Police also uncovered communication records from a now-defunct website, coco.fr, where Dominique P. had arranged for men to visit his home for sexual encounters with his wife. Dominique P. has admitted to drugging his wife with powerful sedatives, including Temesta, an anxiety medication. The abuse began in 2011 while the couple lived near Paris and continued after their relocation to Mazan in 2013.

Dominique P. participated in the assaults, filming the acts and encouraging the other men with derogatory remarks. Despite the severity of the abuse, no financial transactions were involved. The accused include a range of individuals such as a forklift driver, a fire brigade officer, a company executive, and a journalist. Some were single, others were married or divorced, and several were family men. While most participated only once, a few engaged in the abuse up to six times.

Many of the accused claimed they believed they were assisting a couple in fulfilling sexual fantasies, although Dominique P. maintained that they were aware of his wife’s drugged state. An expert testified that the woman’s condition was closer to a coma than mere sleep.

Dominique P. has also been implicated in other criminal activities, including a 1991 murder and rape, which he denies, and an attempted rape in 1999, which he confessed to after DNA evidence was presented. Although experts have indicated that he does not appear to suffer from mental illness, they suggest he has a profound need for control over women’s bodies.

Outside the courthouse, more than a dozen feminists dressed in black held a protest, underscoring the public outrage and demand for justice in this harrowing case.