IMF head Strauss-Khan charged with sexual assault, attempted rape and imprisonment of hotel maid in New York

www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2071865,00.html

Former prosecutor explainsvthe details.

Thanks IC - will have a look at that. Timings have slipped a bit - been on the phone dealing with family stuff and I will start a thread

Bugger! Bloody iPhone .... I don't know where 'survived' came from...

Rape is partly about sense of entitlement. 'What? No? Did survived say no? Surely not? Why would she say no?I must have misheard her...anyway whilst we're here.....' no woman should have to repeat herself or shout at another adult to get them listen. Unless we really are supposed to treat men like toddlers. And I won't.

Christine this blog post by Yes Means Yes might well offer you some enlightenment on that point....
I'll look for your thread. I'll happily help ward off rape apologists, should any turn up.

Oh yes I agree entirely. I suppose this is a question I'm never going to know the answer to unless there has been a study looking at rape patterns and, given that most victims don't report it, it's fairly unlikely that it's out there.

Even the spur of the moment rapes reflect a state of mind which is a kind a pre-meditation, I think: "Whenever I get the chance". Otherwise the attacks wouldn't happen. To decent men, the situations rapists seize on would just not register as a sexual opportunity.

I agree dittany - I haven't read that much about what happened here but he certainly planned his assault on Tristane Banon.

vesuvia - that's not quite what I meant. I think there are spur of the moment rapes (I think both times I've been raped that was the case) and ones that were pre-planned. Obviously the act itself is pre-meditated.

If this guy is guilty, whats really concerning is that rich and powerful people like him are surely more likely to be found not guilty.

I watched almost all of the OJ Simpson trial on TV. There really wasnt a shred of doubt that he was guilty, but the best defence money could buy somehow got him off

ChristinedePizan wrote - "But is there a difference between a rapist who goes out to rape in a premeditated way ... and one who is an opportunist."

What part of deciding to insert a penis into another person's body without consent is not premeditated?

Okay then, you're on. I shall start a thread (after I've had a fortifying cup of tea )

Apologies for that rather stream of consciousness post

Actually this whole discussion has made me wonder about something (related to celadon's hubris and sense of entitlement comment yesterday). I've always been of the belief that rape is about power and taking something that isn't freely given and that the sexual excitement comes as a result of that (or is enhanced by it at least). But is there a difference between a rapist who goes out to rape in a premeditated way (and judging by Tristane Banon's account, that would include DSK) and one who is an opportunist, who might rape a woman sleeping in bed next to him or one who has had too much to drink but wouldn't set up a situation in such a way as to enable him to rape a woman forcibly? And if we accept the premise that regular porn users will ultimately seek out ever more hardcore porn in order to achieve the same level of thrill, does that apply to rapists too?

Sorry, that's all a bit garbled and probably a pointless line of thinking but would be interested in people's thoughts (I would start a thread only I can't cope with the rape apologists)

Well the way everyone was smiling rather indulgently in that dinner party clip that someone posted so perhaps it's considered pretty normal for men in power in France to assume they can have the women they want in the same way as they can have pretty much else? There's certainly some bloody dodgy attitudes there towards unfaithful men and the divorce laws don't do women any favours

Doesn't that just make Sarkosy look even worse by basically saying it's okay to behave like that at home but best not do it abroad.

No no, with Polanski it was Switzerland that might have extradited him, but ended up not. France, where he lives most of the time, has a policy of never extraditing its own citizens (because of la gloire or something). So if Strauss-Kahn managed to get back to France, he'd be safe, though I can't see how he could continue at his job if he were unable to travel.

Leaving the country would be the reason for refusing bail. Also, the extradition arrangements between France and the US are very poor meaning that, if he left, they don't think they'd ever get him back. They've never succeeded with getting Polanski out of Switzerland, for example.

Judge said no bail (I think it's because he has the resources to flee the country)

The crimes he is being charged with can get him 74 years, they are also looking into similar conduct on a previous occasion. Apparently he had been warned by someone that his conduct in France will not be taken lightly in America. Also Austrian finance minister Maria Fekter called on him to consider his position, there is pressure for him to step down.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13426069

"I hate that 'women are always sexually available and gagging for it' crap"

So do I but I think, when it comes to a lot of these powerful, wealthy men, that statement is unfortunately, not far from their real life experience. Clinton, Berlusconi, the whole TV/Film mogul casting couch thing.... surrounded by women even though no-one would give any of these ugly old men a second look in normal circumstances. Listening to Molly Parkin on D.I.Ds the other day she described how, when introduced to Louis Armstrong as a virginal young thing he clasped her close, kissed her full on the lips and said 'tonight you're mine'... (she wriggled out of his clutches but it was obviously his M.O)

New York, in particular, has a strong reputation for successful rape prosecutions. I hope they throw the book at the odious thug.

I would think he has less chance of getting off in the US than he would do in France.

So now he's saying "I wasn't there. And anyway, she consented"? Good stuff.

Dragging through the mire could go both ways, with mention being made of the women he's attacked in the past, and how female politicians and journalists avoid being alone with him. He might not like hearing that in court.