Gisele Pelicot's rape case: Few convicted men released just weeks after they were found guilty. All you need to know

Several men convicted of sexually abusing Gisele Pelicot have already been released from prison and are reportedly leading relatively normal lives.

The lengthy trial, which has become one of France’s most infamous sexual abuse cases, concluded in December of the previous year, as reported by DailyMail.

Who is Dominique Pelicot?

Dominique Pelicot, 72, known as the "Monster of Avignon," drugged, raped, and orchestrated the repeated sexual abuse of his ex-wife, Gisele, by dozens of other men, as reported by DailyMail.

He and 50 other men were convicted of raping and sexually assaulting 72-year-old Gisele at the direction of her husband, Dominique, over the course of a decade.

Also Read: Dominique Pelicot jailed for 20 yrs along with 50 others for raping ex-wife Gisele; all about case that shocked France

The court found 47 of the defendants guilty of rape, two guilty of attempted rape and two guilty of sexual assault. The 51 men faced a combined sentence of 600 years.

Gisele's husband, Dominique Pelicot, received the longest sentence of 20 years for raping and orchestrating the mass rape of his wife, Gisele.

In addition to these charges, he was also found guilty of recording and illegally broadcasting images of Gisele, as well as filming three other women. Police discovered approximately 20,000 disturbing images and videos on his computer, which included recordings of Gisele being abused, as well as explicit pictures of his daughter and two daughters-in-law, DailyMail reported.

Here's what Gisele said…

Gisele has been widely praised for her bravery after she waived her right to anonymity and attended the trial for three months. Throughout the proceedings, she defiantly stared at each defendant as they were convicted of her rape and other crimes.

When Gisele spoke publicly for the first time during the trial, her words became symbolic of the impact many rape survivors hoped the case would have. She powerfully stated, “Shame must change sides.”

Also Read: Who are the men convicted in French mass rape trial?

The 72-year-old Dominique Pelicot, who is in failing health, was confronted by his daughter, Caroline Darian, who shouted at him as his sentence was delivered: "You will die alone like a dog in jail!"

After the sentences were handed down, Pelicot's lawyer, Beatrice Zavarro, spoke to the press, stating that her client was “stunned” by the judges' decision to impose the maximum sentence.

Also Read: France mass rape victim Gisele Pelicot’s daughter breaks silence, talks about father’s abuse & mother’s betrayal: Report

She also mentioned that there was a possibility he could be kept in prison longer if he was still considered a security threat, reported DailyMail.