Rapes in Mazan: “I went back because I found myself there on a sexual level” says Jérôme who went to the Pelicots six times

Les interrogatoires de sept accusés se poursuivent à la cour criminelle du Vaucluse. MIDI LIBRE – François Barrère

This 46-year-old man, who holds a degree in geography and who kept a long list of his conquests and sexual adventures, claims to have undertaken a long process of awareness of his actions since he was incarcerated. He is one of the 51 accused who appear before the criminal court of Vaucluse for having abused Gisèle, whom her husband Dominique Pelicot drugged and delivered to strangers in their villa near Carpentras.

“I didn't go back there because the word rape suited me but because I found myself there on a sexual level”, admitted this Wednesday, October 2, Jérôme V., 46, who appears in custody before the Vaucluse criminal court for aggravated rape: during the 2020 lockdown, he went to Dominique and Gisèle Pelicot's house six times.

In a relationship and happy with his partner

At that time, this man who had pursued higher education, obtained a degree in geography and who had considered becoming a primary school teacher was in a relationship with a partner with whom he said he was very happy.

“You will carry out these meetings in four months. This raises questions” says President Roger Arata.

“I am aware of that. It is very complicated, and I do not want to hide behind victimization. There is a part of me that is unable to resist Mr. Pelicot and a part of me that will go back to him because of my sex addiction."

At Cap d'Agde and in the libertine clubs

The president : "Vyou have explored a bit of everything in sexual matters ?" The accused : "Not bad of things, yes”. He explains how marital infidelity and internet consultation guided him. “With my partner, there was a monotony in our relationship, I blamed her for acting like a starfish and I went back to my old ways. I think I had also become addicted to discussions on the internet, I was able to approach women without feeling apprehensive. I also optimized my sexuality when I went to Cap d'Agde and to libertine clubs."

 

Also read: INFO MIDI LIBRE. Dominique Pelicot and the Mazan rapes: these five new cold cases investigated by the judicial police

Today he admits it: “I was a man in the grip of a sexual addiction that made me detestable.”

A list of his 89 female conquests

The police discovered a list of 89 female names, with annotations. "Unfortunately I needed to count my conquests. It was a challenge." To explain his six visits to Dominique Pelicot, he puts forward several factors. "The photos (of the rapes, editor's note), I think he sent them to the 50, to get a reaction. For me, they had an impact. I was afraid he would use them to bait people. For me, it was disguised blackmail. But I don't know what was hiding in Dominique Pelicot's head."

Thierry, a 61-year-old refrigeration engineer from whom thousands of child pornography images were also seized and who has been detained for three years, also tells what he saw in the world of libertinage, discovered after doing a construction site in a private club.

Threesomes, bondage, somnophilia

"DIn the libertine world, we are often filmed, but no one has ever sent me any videos afterwards" he explains, he who has "often practiced threesomes, and exchanges between two couples, even three couples. I practiced bondage, with restrained limbs, often those of the woman who came with her husband. I also learned a name here, somnophilia. Meetings with couples, where the husbands are not there and say, come, my wife is asleep, we make films but she doesn't want to see you.”

The president: “That's close to what we're examining.” The accused explains. “I've had three major experiences. Each time, the people are asleep and pretend to be asleep. Once the lady woke up and we ended up in a threesome and there were two times when “I didn't see the lady's face”.

“The sexual act is disappearing from my life”

Since his incarceration he has started psychotherapy which according to him makes him think a lot. "In truth, for three years it's been like a withdrawal. The sexual act is disappearing from my mind. I think it's over, I don't know if I'll ever be able to get back into a relationship and have sexual relations with a woman."

He swears that his view of internet pornography has changed, and his increasing consumption has led him to download paedophile images. “When I'm on the internet, I feel like I'm in another world. Now I realize that I'm blind, because there are people behind the screen. I realize that I have to come back down to earth.”

Paradox: he is convinced that he must now commit himself to changing mentalities. “I hope to get out of prison one day, and I want to join an association, so that this trial allows men like me to understand that consent is necessary. For me it is essential. I want to go to libertine clubs to say: don't forget to ask for consent. So that what happened to Mrs. Pelicot never happens again.”

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