Image: www.imago-images.de
Domestic violence
In forums and chat groups, tens of thousands of men exchange information about planned or committed sexual assaults. How can that be? Three experts rank it.
May 4, 2026, 8:34 p.mMay 4, 2026, 8:34 p.m
When Gisèle Pelicot decided to make her case public almost two years ago, she triggered a wave of indignation in France and far beyond its borders. Her former husband and 50 other men were charged with raping the drugged woman. Dominique Pelicot offered his wife to other men on an online platform. Instead of hiding, Gisèle said during the trial, which was followed worldwide, that shame had to “change sides”.
All accused men were convicted – most received prison sentences. Dominique has to go to prison for 20 years. The website where he uploaded videos of the rapes was taken down. Now you could dismiss the story as a horror chapter – abstract, extraordinary, unique. However, the months following the trial in Avignon, France, suggest a different, darker conclusion.
Tens of thousands of users are sometimes in a chat group. (symbol image)Image: Tribune News Service
Most recently, the US broadcaster CNN published research into a global “rapist academy”. Over 20,000 videos of “sleep content” were shared on the website motherless.com. The term refers to videos of unconscious women being raped. The porn site, which describes itself as a “morally neutral platform,” recorded around 62 million visits in February 2026 alone.
The videos are identified with tags such as #fainted or #eyecontrol. The latter describes the actions of some men to prove that the woman shown is really unconscious and not just pretending to be asleep. To do this, her eyelids are held open.
According to the research, a Telegram group called “Zzz” has around 1,000 members. Not only do they openly share videos of rape, they also exchange ideas about the best means to anesthetize their women, when is the best time to do it and they Some of them respond to the wishes of other members during live streams of their actions.
A year ago, the German journalists Isabell Beer and Isabel Ströh published their research entitled “In the rapist network on Telegram” in the “Ctrl_F” report format of the Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR). In it they uncover several chat groups and platforms on which Images and videos of sexual violence against unconscious women to be shared and glorified. Including a Telegram group with over 70,000 members.
You can find the report here
Tips for sexual assault are also discussed here: “I would love to cum on my girlfriend’s face when she sleeps. What can I use at home to help her sleep through the night safely? I’m new here,” writes one user. Another then suggests narcotics.
The men in the groups come from all over the world. The research triggered several investigations. In some cases there were convictions. One case led to Switzerland, where, according to the journalists, a man was in custody at the end of May 2025.
Who are the perpetrators? How do such networks work? And how can the crimes often be shared online unnoticed for years? Three experts provide information:
The perpetrators
Criminologist Dirk Baier doubts that this is a completely new phenomenon. “The Internet and Darknet act as a kind of accelerator,” he says. If people with a basic interest in such acts end up in chat groups like “Zzz”, you can be considered one form of radicalization speak. Illegal behavior is normalized. This makes it seem increasingly legitimate for them to do things “that they would probably never have done otherwise,” says Baier.
Criminologist Dirk Baier: “These are often men from the middle of society, without any clear abnormalities.”Image: zvg
When it comes to perpetrators, the ZHAW professor distinguishes between two groups: the central actors and the “customers”. In the first group, a pronounced need for control, a strong sense of ownership and dominance, and an objectification of people are noticeable. “There is a lack of empathy, the behavior is highly selfish.”
The picture is different for customers. “These are often men from the middle of society, without any clear abnormalities,” says Baier. However, one thing they have in common is often a negative image of women, a certain devaluation and a dominant attitude towards women. “Studies show that such attitudes are relatively widespread. Many of these men believe they have a right to sex »he says. The question of whether the woman agrees to this or not is ignored. Baier adds: “Women are viewed as possessions that can be disposed of.”
Recognizing warning signs is difficult in such cases. However, findings from research on domestic violence would show typical patterns: Relationships that become intense very quickly, increasing controlling behavior, the restriction of social contacts and the resulting social isolation “can be indications that that a dangerous development is looming”said the expert.
The NDR research shows how difficult it is to recognize these warning signs. It reports on Nils, who posted the first photos of his unconscious wife Marlene online in 2006 (both names changed). She only found out about this when the police searched the couple’s house in October 2024 following several tips from the two investigative journalists. In the months before that, Nils drugged and raped his wife on average every two weeks.
At first, Marlene thought it was a mistake, as she told NDR. It was only when she read excerpts of her husband’s chats with other users at the police station that her love for him turned into contempt. “He really let himself be celebrated with his videos and wrote that he slapped me in the face. So much so that I complained about a headache the next day,” said Marlene in the interview.
The victims
Psychotherapist Didem Ekrem is not surprised that people like Marlene don’t want to believe that her husband has abused her for years: “The brain protects the bond from objective reality.” A cognitive dissonance arises: The image of a loving partner doesn’t match the crime, she says.
Senior psychologist Didem Ekrem: “If your gut feeling says that something is wrong, you should investigate it.”Image: zvg
Accordingly, it is much more difficult to accept or understand this. “Our brain can neurologically ignore the threat because we want to maintain the relationship. This is a protective mechanism that is particularly effective for people who are close to you,” says Ekrem. The fact that those affected only believe that something has happened when they see concrete traces is not a sign of naivety, but rather a very normal reaction to an extreme emotional injury.
Because of the trust relationship, recognizing warning signs is also difficult. Nevertheless, caution is advised with certain information. These include Trouble sleeping, anxiety, unexplained pain, torn clothes, tiredness or dizziness. “It’s important to take such changes seriously and not ignore them,” says Ekrem. She heads the ward for trauma-related disorders at the Aargau Psychiatric Services (PDAG). Those around you can also notice if someone is no longer the same as usual. The basic rule is: “If your gut feeling says that something is wrong, you should investigate it.”
Contact points for victims of domestic violence
Domestic violence is understood physical, psychological or sexual violence within a family or in a current or dissolved couple relationship. Those affected can contact the cantonal victim support centers report on the website of the Victim Support Switzerland can be found. The national victim support telephone number 142 has also existed since May 2026.
The advice is free, confidential and anonymous. If women no longer feel safe at home, they can find… women’s shelters a safe place to stay. This offers further support Women’s emergency phone. Affected men can contact the contact point Stop or to that Men’s Office Zurich turn around. In the event of crimes abroad, Swiss citizens can contact the FDFA helpline: +41 800 24 7 365.
You can now also contact the throughout Switzerland Emergency number 142 turn around.
The consequences of such acts are far-reaching. A current Swiss study shows that twelve months after the event, 71 percent of those affected have depressive symptoms and 68 percent have post-traumatic stress disorder.
This makes raising awareness at a societal level all the more important, says Ekrem. “Prevention can take place through awareness campaigns, including in the digital space. Topics such as cyber violence or cyber crime are becoming increasingly important. It is important that these topics are more widely accepted in society.”said the trauma therapist.
The consequences
Social media plays an enormous role in the spread of sexual violence against women, says Maïté Meeus. “But they are not the cause, but a mirror of society.”said the activist. She has been campaigning against sexual violence against women for years. Last year, Forbes Belgium named her among the country’s “30 under 30” for her work.
The misogynistic ideas are not new. “Today, algorithms massively reinforce this content”she says. Added to this is the influence of pornography, which often depicts violence, power imbalances or breaking taboos. «Young people grow up with content in which consensus hardly plays a role. This shapes their understanding of sexuality.”
Activist Maïté Meeus: “Many women now feel unsafe everywhere.”Image: zvg
The Pelicot case was a turning point, says Meeus. “He showed that perpetrators are not the ‘stranger in the dark alley’, but can be your own husband.” This is also confirmed by the federal figures: With regard to sexual violence, around a quarter of the accused in 2025 had no or unknown relationship with the victim. Almost half of the accused were either relatives, acquaintances or in a relationship with the victim.
“Many women now feel insecure everywhere – when going out, when dating, even in relationships,” says Meeus. That is a normal reaction. The consequences for those affected are massive, as she says: long-term trauma, depression, suicide attempts. “This is not just an individual problem, but also a social and health policy problem.”
This makes it all the more important to tackle the problem early: For example, with education about consensus and empathy in schools. Such programs currently already exist in Denmark. “That gives me hope,” says Meeus. Because women are tired – also because of men’s defensive stance on the subject: “Of course we know that not all men are perpetrators. But all men operate in a patriarchal culture that either enables perpetrator behavior, encourages passive spectatorship, or at least does not demand any active countermeasures.”
Meanwhile, there was another twist in the Pelicot case: The platform on which Dominique Pelicot praised his ex-wife to other men is back online under a new name, according to authorities. Meeus says: “The outrage is nowhere near big enough.”