Warning: Graphic content An Austrian woman died after her husband injured and sexually abused her while she was “extremely intoxicated,” prosecutors say, in a case that local media are comparing to that of Frenchwoman Gisèle Pelicot. Prosecutors in the Austrian city of Wels told CNN the woman was “defenseless” in her condition and that another man confessed to sexually abusing the woman, including on the night that she died. They are also investigating whether other men may have also sexually abused the woman, potentially in exchange for payment, they said. The woman has not been named. Austrian media have dubbed the case “Pelicot 2.0,” drawing comparisons to Gisèle Pelicot, whose former husband Dominique Pelicot was convicted of aggravated rape after drugging her for years and recruiting dozens of strangers to rape her while she was unconscious. Prosecutors said reports in the local press of a so called wider “rape network” cannot yet be confirmed but remain under investigation. The victim was found severely injured and bleeding at her home in Marchtrenk, near Wels in Upper Austria, on June 26, according to prosecutors. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene and an autopsy was ordered. Prosecutors told CNN that the husband initially said her death had been part of an “accident” during sex. But the victim’s injuries, they said, “indicate violence.” Her death was first reported in the summer by Austria Press Agency but details of the investigation have only recently emerged. Authorities said the 51-year-old husband and the second man, who is also 51 and was arrested last month, are now in custody. Prosecutors said only the husband has been linked to the act that caused her death. The husband has declined to comment on the allegations. He is being investigated over allegations of abuse of a defenseless or impaired person resulting in death, an offence carrying a potential sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison or life. He could ultimately face a murder charge, depending on what investigators are able to establish about his intent. Prosecutors said no money is believed to have changed hands between the husband and the second man currently in custody. The Wels Public Prosecutor’s Office told CNN the investigation is ongoing and declined to provide further details about the alleged acts, citing respect for the victim and investigative considerations. By Saskya Vandoorne, Kara Fox, CNN If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to support people in crisis:
