Convicted French Rapist Linked to 1990s Cold Cases

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JAN 31

Above: The entrance of the Nanterre courthouse, west of Paris, before the hearing of Dominique Pelicot, the Frenchman convicted of drugging his ex-wife so that dozens of strangers could rape her, at the judicial center dedicated to cold cases, on Jan. 30, 2025. Image copyright: Bertrand Guay/Contributor/AFP via Getty Imagesstory last updated FEB 1

The Facts

Dominique Pélicot, already serving 20 years for drugging and orchestrating the mass rape of his wife, Gisele, is being investigated for the 1991 murder of property agent Sophie Narme in Paris and a 1999 attempted rape of another property agent in Villeparisis.
Pélicot has admitted to an altercation with the woman in question in 1999, but denied having tried to rape her. He similarly maintains his innocence in the 1991 murder of Sophie Narme.
Investigators have identified similarities between the 1990s cases, including the use of an anesthetic called ether, targeting of real estate agents, and similar methods of approaching victims under false pretenses.

The Spin

Narrative A

Women in France have endured the country's rape culture for far too long, the consequences of which were tragically exposed in the case of Dominique and his wife. Even Pélicot's daughter, Caroline, has spoken out about how her father assaulted her, too, and how it's destroyed their entire family. While Dominique's life will hopefully end in prison, his punishment is not enough. From here on out, sexual assault allegations must be taken seriously the first time.

Emmabarnett

Narrative B

While evil men like Pélicot deserve to be punished for every crime they've committed, DNA evidence alone is not always sufficient for conviction in cold cases, as factors like victim cooperation, crime context, and the ability to argue consensual sex can complicate prosecutions. An estimated 40% of cases with DNA matches also fail to result in arrests, highlighting the risk of wrongful accusations. Thorough investigations beyond DNA are essential to uphold due process.

Sciencedirect

Cynical narrative

Global powers have a history of ignoring sex crimes and trafficking. In France, before the crimes of Pélicot were even committed, famous intellectuals openly defended adult-minor relationships, enabling predators to assault women and girls with impunity. In the US, famous celebrities from the 20th century have only faced scrutiny recently. The traditional debate around this issue can be solved if society focuses on the government officials and elites who propagate this culture.

Maryclarestfrancis