A woman in the UK has spoken publicly about the horrifying moment she realized her husband had been drugging her so strangers could rape her.
Laura Bishop identified herself for the first time in an interview with ITV News, describing a case that bears disturbing similarities to that of Dominique Pelicot, the 71-year-old French woman who was repeatedly raped by men allegedly invited to her home by her husband while she was unconscious.
Laura said her husband, Daniel Bishop, also livestreamed at least eight assaults involving seven different men. She has criticized police for failing to bring those men to justice.
She first discovered what had happened in 2021, when she woke up naked and being raped after Daniel suggested they have a drink at their home in Bristol, England.
“He poured me a gin and tonic. I couldn’t see what he was doing. I never thought I’d need to watch what he did with my drink. I don’t remember finishing it,” Bishop told ITV News.
“I woke up on the bed. Completely undressed. Naked. And being raped by a stranger,” she said.
“I immediately looked to the right, and Dan was standing there; my husband was standing there in the doorway,” she said.
“I can remember the first thing I thought was, ‘I’m going to be strangled and murdered.’ But I started moving myself very quickly back up the bed, and the man got up and ran off,” she recalled.
Bishop reported the attack to police, who arrested her husband.
Daniel Bishop pleaded guilty in 2022 to three rapes, three attempted rapes, a sexual assault and administering a noxious substance, according to ITV.
He was sentenced to more than 14 years in prison, followed by an additional eight years of supervised release.
Laura later secretly recorded her husband while he was in prison. During the conversation, he told her that “seven men in total” had raped her, she said.
“The last one came twice. So it was eight separate occasions, with seven different men,” she said, adding that an unknown number of people may have watched the assaults online.
However, Laura said none of the men involved has yet been brought to justice. That is one reason she decided to speak publicly about what happened.
“The most important thing is outing these men and putting names to faces… This is my opportunity for my voice to be heard,” she said. “I want justice. That’s what I feel I deserve.”
Avon and Somerset Police told ITV News it was “sorry Laura feels let down by aspects of the overall investigation.”
“One man has received a significant prison sentence for the crimes he committed against her, but a thorough investigation continues, led by specially trained detectives.”