Family Betrayal
A father's monstrous secret: drugging his wife for years to facilitate abuse by strangers, captured on film.
I will never forgive him for ruining our lives.
I'll Never Call Him Dad Again
"I bear a crushing double burden: I am the child of both the victim and her tormentor."
In this gut-wrenching memoir, Caroline Darian (a pen name honoring her two brothers, David and Florian) lays bare a family tragedy that defies comprehension. Under the imprint of LEAP by Bonnier Books UK, I'll Never Call Him Dad Again is not just a personal story but a searing call to action against the hidden epidemic of chemical submission. Darian’s narrative unfolds as a chronicle of horror, resilience, and advocacy, detailing the unimaginable crimes committed by her father against her mother over a decade—crimes that shattered her world and led to a historic trial in Avignon, France, starting in September 2024. As the founder of the charity M’endors Pas (Stop Chemical Submission: Don’t Put Me Under), Darian transforms her pain into purpose, shedding light on a public health crisis often ignored. This book is a raw, emotional journey through betrayal, loss, and the unyielding strength of family bonds, even in the face of cataclysmic revelations.
Chemical Submission
A hidden epidemic in domestic spaces, using drugs like lorazepam and zolpidem to incapacitate victims.
Chemical submission flies below the radar, affording abusers a sense of impunity.
Personal Trauma
Caroline's discovery of her own violation through photographs, questioning if she too was drugged.
Did my father abuse me?
Fight for Justice
A historic trial involving 51 accused, with Caroline and her family as civil parties seeking truth.
No real progress will be possible until chemical submission is treated as a public health issue.
Family Betrayal: The Unmasking of a Monster
Unveiling the Horror
The foundation of Caroline Darian’s life crumbled on November 2, 2020, when she learned that her father, Dominique, had been arrested—not for a minor offense, but for orchestrating a decade-long nightmare of abuse against her mother. Over 73 men, identified through a digital hoard of 20,000 photos and videos, were involved in the aggravated rape of her mother, facilitated by drugs like lorazepam and zolpidem. This wasn’t a one-off crime but a systematic, perverse operation where her father invited strangers via online forums to abuse his unconscious wife, filming it all for his voyeuristic pleasure. The numbers are staggering: a timeline of abuse stretching back to at least 2011, with victims ranging across generations and social strata.
Initial Discovery
Caroline learns of her father's arrest and the horrific abuse of her mother by multiple men over a decade.
2020-11-02
First Evidence
Earliest dated images of abuse uncovered, marking the start of a known 7+ year ordeal.
2013-09
Arrests Expand
Multiple abusers identified and arrested, totaling over 70 men involved in the crimes.
2021-03
Highlighted Truth
“My father drugged my mother and served her up to strangers to be raped. It should not be possible to string such words together.” This statement captures the visceral shock and disbelief that permeates Darian’s recounting. The betrayal cuts deeper because it comes from a man she loved and trusted for 42 years—a father who once walked her to school, celebrated her milestones, and played with her son. The duality of his persona, the loving facade versus the criminal reality, is a wound that festers throughout her narrative.
A Family Shattered
Darian’s account isn’t just about her mother’s suffering; it’s about the ripple effect on an entire family. Her brothers, David and Florian, grapple with the same horror, while her son, Tom, struggles to understand why his beloved grandfather is in prison. The family home in Provence, once a sanctuary of memories, becomes a crime scene tainted by shadows of abuse. They pack up and leave within days of the revelation, unable to bear the weight of what happened within those walls. The emotional toll is evident in Darian’s breakdowns, hospital stays, and the strain in her relationship with her mother, who at times seems in denial about the full extent of the betrayal.
Chemical Submission: A Silent Epidemic
Scope of the Crisis
Chemical submission, as Darian reveals, is a weapon of sexual predators that transcends social boundaries, affecting women, men, children, and the elderly. In over 70% of known cases, it precedes sexual assault, often within the home—a statistic that underscores the domestic nature of this violence. The lack of reliable data and awareness means victims often don’t even realize they’ve been abused, their bodies bearing silent scars of memory lapses, falls, and health issues like unwanted pregnancies or PTSD.
Chemical Submission Cases
Highlighted Truth
“Chemical submission is present at all levels of society and is deployed against a wide range of victims.” This chilling reality drives Darian’s advocacy. Her father’s “recipe” for incapacitating her mother—precise doses of Temesta and zolpidem, sometimes dissolved in alcohol—is shared with pride on online forums, a testament to the impunity abusers feel. The broader societal ignorance of this crime, coupled with inadequate medical and judicial responses, fuels Darian’s mission to make it a recognized public health issue.
Systemic Failure and Advocacy
The memoir exposes the systemic failures surrounding chemical submission. Victims like Darian’s mother receive little immediate support; psychological care is inconsistent, and medical professionals often miss the signs. Darian’s frustration with a justice system that sends traumatized individuals home without adequate support is palpable. Her response is to found M’endors Pas, a movement launched in 2023 to raise awareness and prevent such abuses, ensuring that her family’s pain becomes a catalyst for change.
Personal Trauma: A Daughter’s Violation
Uncovering Her Own Pain
Amidst the horror of her mother’s abuse, Darian faces a personal reckoning when she discovers photographs of herself, unconscious and posed, taken by her father. The images, dated as recently as July 2020, raise haunting questions: Was she drugged? Did the abuse go beyond photography? The identical poses and unfamiliar underwear in the photos suggest a deliberate act, one she can’t reconcile with her light-sleeping nature or memory.
Highlighted Truth
“How did he manage to take my photo in the middle of the night without waking me up? Did he drug me?” This question gnaws at Darian, a raw wound of uncertainty. Her father’s denials—claiming mere “curiosity” with no sexual intent—ring hollow against the evidence of his pervasive depravity. The violation extends to her sisters-in-law, with hidden cameras capturing intimate moments in family homes, revealing no woman in their circle was safe from his gaze.
Living with the Unknown
Darian’s trauma manifests in panic attacks, hospital stays, and a fear of losing control, mirroring the chemical submission her mother endured. Her relationship with her mother becomes strained as the latter struggles to accept that her husband could target their daughter. Yet, Darian persists, joining the prosecution as a civil party, filing complaints against her father, and seeking answers through therapy and writing. Her journey is one of confronting the unthinkable while protecting her son, Tom, from the curse of his grandfather’s legacy—symbolized by changing his middle name from Dominique to David.
Fight for Justice: A Historic Battle
The Trial of the Century
Set to begin on September 2, 2024, in Avignon, the trial of 51 men, including Darian’s father, for the aggravated rape of her mother over ten years is unprecedented in scope. Facing up to 20 years in prison, the accused are charged with a litany of crimes—aggravated rape, sexual assault, and invasion of privacy through distributing images. The courtroom setup, with separate rooms for the accused, legal teams, and public, reflects the case’s magnitude, as does the involvement of Darian, her mother, brothers, and sister-in-law as civil parties.
Arrest and Revelation The initial arrest on November 2, 2020, uncovers a decade of abuse, with over 20,000 pieces of digital evidence.
Investigation Expands Over 70 abusers identified, with 47 questioned and 45 charged by late 2021, spanning ages 22 to 71.
Family as Civil Parties Caroline and her family join the prosecution, ensuring their voices are heard in the legal battle.
Trial Preparation A public trial set for September 2024 in Avignon, aiming to expose the full extent of chemical submission crimes.
Highlighted Truth
“We have no illusions about what awaits us: we will be plunged back into the nightmare of my father’s deeds and laid bare before the public gaze.” This statement encapsulates the dread and determination of facing a public trial. Darian’s mother insists on an open court, refusing to let the accused hide behind closed doors, a decision that underscores her quiet stoicism despite years of violation. For Darian, it’s a chance for justice, but also a reopening of wounds as they confront the horrors documented in her father’s videos.
Beyond the Courtroom
The fight for justice extends beyond legal proceedings. Darian’s advocacy through M’endors Pas aims to equip medical, police, and judicial systems to recognize and combat chemical submission. Her involvement with initiatives like Ghada Hatem-Gantzer’s My Doorstep project—a safe house for young women—shows her commitment to systemic change. This memoir itself is a weapon, sounding the alarm on an epidemic and urging society to protect the most vulnerable, ensuring that her family’s suffering sparks a broader reckoning.