On Saturday, a silent march was held in the village of Mazan in support of Gisele Perico and other victims of sexual violence. Perico’s husband is accused of drugging her and inviting more than 80 men to assault her in the village of Mazan.
Hundreds of men and women rallied in solidarity with the woman at the center of the incident that shocked the world. Members of the Pericot family were not in attendance but said they were grateful for the public support.
One of the women at the march told French reporters: “I am here as a woman, as a mother, as a grandmother…I want to start by honoring Gisele and other women and girls who are very, very brave. I’m here to support you.”
She said she hopes the case will convince people to “listen to women and not turn a blind eye” to sexual abuse.
On Friday, the judges in the Avignon gang rape trial agreed to allow Dominique Pericot to release a video of him allegedly abusing his wife to the press and the public in court.
The court’s president, Roger Arata, had argued that the video was an affront to public order and was so “shocking” that people not directly involved in the incident should be removed from the courtroom.
The court agreed to show the footage in open court after Gisele Perico’s lawyer argued that his client wanted it shown. Pericot, 72, was drugged until she fell into a coma and has no recollection of the rape, and claims the video is proof of the damage she suffered.
Of the 50 men who allegedly raped her, the majority deny the charges, saying they thought she was pretending to be asleep and acted with her husband’s consent.
Women participating in Saturday’s silent march. Photo: Manon Cruz/Reuters
Antoine Camus, one of Gisele Perico’s lawyers, told the court: Perception is subjective and everyone can have different perceptions of the same event. Here we must at least discuss the reliability of the defendant’s claim that he did not commit rape.
“For Gisele Perico, these videos explode the theory that the rape was accidental, inadvertent or inadvertent. What they show is a rape of opportunity.”
Perico’s other lawyer, Stéphane Babonneau, said: “It’s too late for Gisele Perico…the damage has been done. They will have to endure brutal trials in court for the rest of their lives.
“But if the public nature of the debate means other women don’t have to go through this, then I can understand the pain she inflicts on herself every day.” said.
Dominique Perico, a former electrician, drugged his wife with a mixture of sleeping pills and anti-anxiety drugs for dinner, then recruited men in an online chat room called “Unknowingly,” in Mazan, near Carpentras, Provence. I was invited to the couple’s house. wine.
The 71-year-old father of three was first arrested in 2020 when a security guard spotted him taking pictures up the skirts of female customers at a local supermarket and the police were called. Pleaded guilty to aggravated rape.
Gisele Pericot, who has become a symbol of feminist outrage over France’s failure to respond to the #MeToo movement and confront rampant sexual abuse, said police saved her life.
Another 30 people who appeared in some 20,000 videos and photos police found on a USB drive connected to Dominic Perico’s home computer have not yet been identified.
The trial will continue until the end of December. If convicted, the defendants could receive up to 20 years in prison.
