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

Liking all your responses, sisters.

Nowadays all you have to do is label yourself a socialist. There is no need actually to behave like one. All very post-modern.

I was listening to this on the radio yesterday and wondering why rape charges are almost always referred to as "allegations" rather than "charges"? Do we have "allegations" of GBH? "Allegations" of drink-driving? Surely once he has been charged, then that's clearly what they are - charges? No? [profoundly depressed emoticon]

Quite, Alice. And yes dittany, it's just a teensy bit ironic isn't it?

As the OP says, it's like Julian Assange all over again. Of course it is. Naturally, it is impossible that a so-called 'socialist' could ever do anything oppressive to women. Don't you realise, socialists are champions of the oppressed? This is why feminism is a distraction from the true cause of our oppression (capitalism) and so must be opposed. It may occur to the more cynical that the socialist here is by definition male. Any criticism of this people's tribune is therefore a conspiracy by the forces of reaction. I believe the woman. I believe that DSK dd exactly what she said he did. And I believe the other women who report his sexual harrassment, too. And I am sick to the back teeth of hearing 'socialists' defending rapists.

As I understand it from news reports, it is the Grand Jury hearing on 20 May 2011 where it will be decided whether the case will go to trial. As I understand it, the NYPD or District Attorney do not make that decision.

I didn't say they must be guilty greythorne. But generally the police are fairly sure of a conviction if they arrest and charge someone within hours of a crime having been committed

Well apparently he has a reputation as a 'lapin chaud' according to the the Today program yesterday. Which of course means it can't possibly be rape as the chamber maid would instantly have whipped off her knickers and said 'take me big boy' if he's so much as looked at her

Vile!

Oooooh, Christine
You need to be very careful there!
I do not think at all that because someone is charged quickly after an allegation they must be guilty.

good post Camaleon.

As it has been said before, it is easier to believe this is the case of sexual abuse by a powerful man with a very dodgy past, than believing in a conspiracy theory.

However, even if this was all a set-up, it would mean that others knew about this dodgy past and they still allowed him/pushed him to get to the very top of the IMF, and only when he was a realistic rival in elections, something was done. It is not a nice scenario either way, and speaks volumes about how women are considered in society, and how cases of sexual abuse are treated.

Why pecular? In the same way as if anyone is charged very soon after an accusation of committing a crime, PlanetEarth, that generally means they are guilty of the crime they are accused of. Of course I can't be 100% certain but I think there's a pretty strong case against him. A chambermaid with three years of employment history behind her is fairly unlikely to have made the whole thing up. What would she have to gain?

PlanetEarth - I find this difficult. Of course he is innocent until proven guilty, but that places doubt on the victim, and I don't want to doubt an allegation of rape.

I find this thread rather peculiar - how on earth can any of us know who to believe? That is for the courts surely. We just know what we've seen in the news - unless some of you are personally acquainted with either of them.

I believe her. The victim.

Yes, and the G8 is being hosted by France in two weeks, in Deauville.

Its interesting that financial news channels, websites and forums are tending to strictly stick to facts and direct quotes of named sources. There is virtually no reporting or discussion of conspiracy theories or rumours.

This is a huge story in the financial world because the IMF is so crucial to the negotiation over restructuring the debts of the PIIGS countries but financial news journalists are heavily regulated and face heavy fines and even prison for spreading false information so they have a quite different mindset to mainstream news media and take a lot more care in what they report.

There has been far more reportage of his absence at the meeting than the fact he may have attempted rape and may have past form on this....plus one or two "oh those French " type comments...

What i find depressing is that this section of MN seems to be the only place this sort of thing can be discussed and that it seems to be rapidly becoming the only place women who have experienced rape and abuse can come for support (with the exception of the stately homes threads etc.). What does that say?

There is a level of shock among some people that a man in his position would risk his entire career like this. And yes, I've heard the 'well he could pay a load of prostitutes so why would he do that' line too. Plus the thought that the whole thing is a set up. And a lot of hot protestation that the accused is innocent until proven guilty. Funny that the hot defence of due legal process doesn't happen with many other crimes

It is, of course, so much more straightforward for this to be a complex set-up to discredit him, rather than for him to have done what hundreds of thousands of men do to women every day across the world.

I believe her.

Ok, the media has started the rape apologist stuff here in France. There was a programme on TV last night with journalists and politicians coming out with 'why would a man in his position risk it?' 'it would be so easy to set him up' type comments.

They didn't go for the outright conspiracy theory but they are definitely trying to imply that there must be some explanation other than that Strauss-Khan is a sex predator. It came across as rather disgusting misogyny of the 'cry rape' type rather than a serious political consideration.

No surprises there sadly.