Daughter of Gisele Pelicot Rushed to Hospital Following Disturbing Discovery About Father
In a harrowing new memoir, Gisele Pelicot has unveiled the profound trauma inflicted upon her family by her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, with her daughter, Caroline Darian, suffering particularly severe consequences. The 73-year-old author recounts being drugged and raped by Dominique over a decade, during which he invited over 50 men to sexually assault her while she was unconscious. Gisele's courageous decision to waive anonymity during a globally shocking trial established her as a symbol for survivors worldwide.
A Memoir Exposing Family Anguish and Legal Battles
Her powerful book, A Hymn to Life: Shame Must Change Sides, delves not only into the abuse she endured but also the painful journey she and her children have faced since the trial, which strained their relationships. Caroline Darian emerged as another victim when police discovered thousands of images and videos of Gisele's abuse on Dominique's laptop, alongside photos of Caroline naked or semi-naked. Caroline testified that in these images, she was wearing unfamiliar underwear in a position she never slept in, leading her to suspect her father drugged and abused her similarly to her mother. Last year, she filed a legal complaint against him.
Dominique Pelicot, now serving a 20-year sentence for aggravated rape, denies abusing his daughter but was convicted of violating her privacy by sharing secretly recorded images online, found in a file titled "Around my daughter, naked". He was also found guilty of taking indecent images of his daughters-in-law, Aurore and Celine. During the trial, Caroline shouted at him, predicting he would "die alone like a dog".
Psychiatric Crisis and Campaign for Survivor Support
Gisele reveals in her memoir that Caroline was devastated upon learning of her mother's abuse and the indecent images taken of her, resulting in a night spent in an emergency psychiatric ward. "She was terrified. I was too. Did she let out the screams that I held in, allowing herself to collapse as I did not?" Gisele writes. Caroline herself has spoken about this ordeal, telling the Guardian that after hearing the allegations, she did not sleep for five nights, necessitating medical help. She described the hospital's attempt to sedate her as "absolutely not what I needed", given her father's history of sedation in abuse. Caroline claims a "massive dose" of experimental medication was used, an experience that now fuels her advocacy for better support for survivors.
While Gisele's case was supported by extensive video and photographic evidence, Caroline's relies on two haunting images discovered when French police seized Dominique's devices in 2020 after his arrest for upskirting. During the trial, Caroline's husband and brothers, David and Florian, supported her quest for truth, but Dominique repeatedly insisted he had "never touched" his daughter. Caroline countered in court, "I know you abused me. You don't have the courage to tell me", and later noted his inconsistent stories during the investigation.
Family Rifts and Ongoing Struggles for Truth
After the trial, Caroline claimed her mother "abandoned" her, a sentiment Gisele addresses in her book: "This trial could not ease her pain, nor dissipate our doubts, nor answer the questions that were torturing us all". Caroline expressed in court, "My mother was raped, yes, under the influence of drugs, yes. The only difference between my mother and me is that in her case, there is proof. For me, it's an absolute tragedy", a statement Gisele found painfully divisive. The mother and daughter only resumed communication a few months ago, but Gisele is currently not speaking with her eldest son, David, who sided with Caroline.
Gisele admits their relationships have become "complicated", stating, "You have to understand that such a tragedy doesn't necessarily bring a family together. It's a cataclysm that sweeps everything away. Everyone needs to be able to rebuild themselves in their own way". She empathises with Caroline's plight, saying, "What Caroline is going through is extremely painful. There are these doubts that condemn her to a perpetual hell, and to be condemned to that is appalling". Gisele hopes to one day visit Dominique in prison to demand the truth behind his motivations and seek answers for Caroline.
A Hymn to Life: Shame Must Change Sides is now available in bookstores.
