World News for Students of English

20-09-2024 15:00

Dominique Pelicot, 71, has admitted to drugging and raping his wife, Gisèle Pelicot, for over 10 years. He also arranged for 50 other men to rape her while she was unconscious.

In his testimony, Pelicot acknowledged that he was a rapist like the others in the trial. Many of the men claimed they thought they were participating in a consensual sex game, but Pelicot’s admission has shocked the court. Gisèle waived her right to anonymity, making the trial public to highlight the guilt of the accused men. Pelicot collected evidence of the assaults on a hard drive, which will be used as proof against the co-defendants.

The trial is expected to last several weeks as each accused man presents a defense, arguing they believed the acts were consensual. However, Pelicot admitted that Gisèle was never aware of the abuse, as she was unconscious during the attacks.

Difficult words: consensual (with mutual agreement), waive (not to demand something you have a right to), co-defendant (any of two or more individuals or companies answering the same charge in a court of law).

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