The Adult Industry's Darkest Secret: Online Sleep Content

In 2024, the world learned the name Gisele Pelicot. Between 2011 and 2020, she was subjected to horrific abuse in her home in France by her husband, Dominique, and dozens of other men while she was unconscious. In a landmark trial, the then-72-year-old Gisele waived her right to anonymity as evidence revealed hundreds of assaults, many of them filmed. Dominique recruited men through an unmoderated online forum, giving detailed instructions on how to target his wife. But this is not an isolated case. In 2026, CNN uncovered allegations of a global network of men in group chats sharing tips on sedating and abusing their partners, alongside more than 20,000 “sleep content” videos. Investigative journalist Saskya Vandoorne joins us after infiltrating these groups and speaking to survivors. LINKS Learn more about CNN's investigation here.  If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. GET IN TOUCH Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @truecrimeconversations Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at [email protected] or send us a voice note. Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes.  CREDITS  Guest: Saskya Vandoorne Host: Gemma Bath  Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy Video Editor: Julian Rosario Audio Designer: Tegan Salder Mamamia acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we have recorded this podcast. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - The Shocking Betrayal of Zoe Watts 01:32 - The Giselle Pelicot Case That Horrified the World 03:20 - CNN's Saskia Van Dorn on Investigating Sleep Content 06:16 - Uncovering an Unmoderated, Dark Online Network 10:11 - Infiltrating a 1,000-Man Underground Group 14:08 - Inside the Terrifying "Dark Academy" Mindset 17:40 - Confronting a Perpetrator in Real Life 24:19 - The $90 Billion Adult Industry's Role in Extreme Content 37:57 - The Complex Trauma of Victim-Survivors 45:44 - Why Legal Convictions Are Incredibly Hard to Secure 55:58 - How Giselle Pelicot Inspired a Sorority of Survivors 01:00:26 - The Urgent Need for Digital Accountability