A dance instructor and self-proclaimed hypnotherapist is standing trial in southern France on charges of drugging and raping at least 14 women over a decade, while also allegedly filming many of the assaults in secret.
Cyril Zattara, who has been in detention since 2021, faces accusations that he slipped sleeping pills into women’s drinks before sexually assaulting them, according to a police investigation. Many of the alleged victims were friends or former partners.
The trial, being held behind closed doors in Aix-en-Provence at the request of one plaintiff, is expected to last at least two weeks. Some other alleged victims had sought open proceedings, saying they wanted their stories heard publicly.
Investigators found photos and videos on Zattara’s computer showing women in a lethargic state during sex. In one case from 2019, a woman reported drinking wine he offered during a hypnosis session, later waking with fragmented memories of being raped and vomiting.
Zattara has admitted to 10 counts of rape but is charged with raping 14 women, and is also accused of filming around 20 others without their knowledge.
The case follows another high-profile trial in the region—that of Dominique Pelicot, sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging and raping his ex-wife and inviting strangers to abuse her over nearly a decade.
By James Kisoo
