Monster of Avignon Dominique Pelicots daughter Caroline Darian makes damning statement in first interview since his conviction in Frances biggest-ever rape trial
The Monster of Avignons daughter has spoken out for the first time since the conviction of her father in Frances biggest-ever rape trial, issuing a damning verdict.
The Monster of Avignons daughter has spoken out for the first time since the conviction of her father in Frances biggest-ever rape trial, issuing a damning verdict.
Caroline Darian remained a pillar by her mothers side during the grotesque trial of Dominique Pelicot, 71, where he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping and organising the mass rape of his wife, Gisèle.
While his 50 co-defendants also receiving guilty verdicts, with sentences ranging from three to 15 years some suspended, for their part in Frances most notorious sex crimes trial.
However, although never admitted in court, the 46-year-old communication manager from Paris believes she too was subjected to sordid abuse by her father.
The majority of the horrific photos and videos found meticulously catalogued on Pelicots hard drives depicted various strangers abusing an unconscious Gisele.
But some showed Caroline, also sleeping, in various states of undress.
Speaking about the trial for the first time to the Guardian she described her horrors, saying: I felt anger. Theyre cowards [the men convicted of rape].
Shockingly adding that: I was looked at like a sex object during this trial by many of them.
Gisele Pelicot (C), and her daughter Caroline Darian (L) speak with the media after leaving the criminal court in Avignon
Gisele Pelicot (2-R), her daughter Caroline Darian (R) and her lawyers Stephane Babonneau (2-L) and Antoine Camus (L) walk towards the criminal court today
The Pelicots remarried in 2007. They had initially split to prevent Gisele being liable for debts her husband had run up
On Dominques computer equipment which was confiscated after his arrest, French authorities found a folder labelled my naked daughter.
Within this secret file there were two images of Caroline, then aged in her 30s, sleeping in beige underwear.
When showed this by the police, Darian claimed that she did not sleep in this position, that she has never seen that specific pair of underwear before and that she would never have gone to bed dressed like that.
Following on from this revelation she told the court that she was convinced that she too had probably been raped and abused by Dominique.
Though there was no direct evidence that married mother-of-one was sexually abused, she strongly believes she was drugged by her father and says she will never know for sure if she was also raped leaving her locked in doubt and silence unable to ever know the truth.
I consider myself to be the forgotten victim of this trial, Caroline told the court.
Gisele was certainly raped. She was chemically subdued, of course. The only difference between Gisele and me is that for her, there is proof. For me, its an absolute tragedy.
During the trial, Dominque continued to deny ever drugging or abusing his daughter and when in his final statement the 71-year-old said: I would like to look my daughter straight in the eye and tell her that I did nothing [to her].
She jumped up and shouted in an angry outburst: Ill never see you again! Youll die alone like a dog!
Caroline briefly checked into a psychiatric facility as her mental health spiralled amid the fallout of her fathers arrest.
She has also since launched a pressure group called Dont Send Me To Sleep, to raise awareness about chemical submission.
The son of Gisele Pelicot, Florian (L) and her daughter Caroline Peyronnet (R) leave the criminal court in Avignon, France, 05 September 2024
Dominique Pelicot pictured on holiday to the Isle of Ré in 2018 with his wife Gisele - two years before he was arrested for drugging her and arranging for men to rape her
Caroline, 45, told the Avignon court on Friday how she believed her father had drugged her too, after police showed her photos of her lying unconscious on a bed in her mothers underwear
You cant imagine the sadness and the loneliness, she recounted.
Ive got a part of his DNA. And its difficult to be the daughter of the biggest sexual criminal for the past 10, 20, even 30 years, and at the same time be the daughter of an icon like my mum … I dont know if its better to be the daughter of Gisèle or worse to be the daughter of Dominique Pelicot. Ill have to live with that.
Despite this she told the Guardian: Im really proud of my mum. She has opened the door. She has led the way for other victims of sexual violence.
Shes told them theyre not alone any more. That is strength. So to me shes a hero … And she did it brilliantly.
In a powerful 90-minute-long testimony before the court in Avignon, Gisele also opened up on how the discovery drove her to the brink of suicide and left her daughter in a psychiatric ward.
We had everything, we had a great life. I dont understand how this could have happened.
I only wanted one thing and that was to disappear. I told myself: I am going to get in my car with my dog and end it all.
I had to tell my children that their father was in custody. I called my son-in-law and told my daughter and told them: He raped me. Then I heard my daughter screaming a deep cry that I cannot get out of my head.
When I told my sons about this, I dont think they really understood. They withdrew.
[That] evening, the children rang all the time saying dont disappear... they were worried I might die.
Caroline Darian and David, the children of Frenchwoman Gisele Pelicot, arrive to attend the verdict
In a powerful 90-minute-long testimony before the court in Avignon, Gisele also opened up on how the discovery drove her to the brink of suicide and left her daughter in a psychiatric ward
Caroline herself recounted to the judge the moment she heard, from her own mother, exactly what kind of monster her father was.
Then my mother called me to say that there was a problem with my father. I imagine that he is in intensive care, that he is dying, she said.
But she tells me that my father has been drugging her for years so that strangers can rape her in her own bed.
She says she has seen photos of what happened to her and that the police want to show her videos of what happened.
I totally lost my foundations. Fortunately my husband [Pierre] was there and my six year old son too. We took him away so that he did not hear his mothers screams.
Detectives listed a total of 92 rapes committed by 72 men, 51 of whom have been identified.
Of the 83 men involved in the campaign of abuse, 51 aged between 26 and 73 were identified and arrested by the police.
Many denied raping Gisèle Pélicot, saying they were manipulated by her then-husband or claiming they believed she was consenting.