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

[darleneoconnor]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13402845

Can these sroties ever be reported without a discussion of whether the woman is lying or provoked the man?

It's like Julian Assange all over again.

There was a french man being interviewed about it on News 24 and you could sense a different attitude between him and the British newsreader, Nicholas Owen. The french man was emphasising how bad a crime it was, whereas the newsreader seemed to be fishing for some 'rape myths'.

We'll see how this one pans out.

This is good:
www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-05-17/laila-lalami-defends-dominique-strauss-kahns-accuser/?cid=topic:mostrecent1

Oh heck, try again:
www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-05-17/laila-lalami-defends-dominique-strauss-kahns-accuser/?cid=topic:mostrecent1

My French PIL are convinced that he has been set up by the Americans.

They also say that Tristane Banon 'made it up' as 'revenge' for something to do with a book of hers that failed to get published because of S-K.

They also think that the fact that he has a reputation for sexually harassing women shouldn't even be discussed, as a history of sexual harassment isn't such a bad thing, and doesn't mean a man is capable of rape. They obviously think that rapists are evil drooling psychopaths.

FIL also came out with gems like 'what was she doing in his room anyway?' (Um, doing her job you thicko).

We only spoke about it for about 5 minutes but they got so incensed by my comment that 'rape/sexual assault happens all the time - it is so much more likely that this is true than untrue, the complicated set up by the Americans scenario was stretching credulity and was without evidence'.

They also said he's innocent 'innocent until proven guilty' about a million times.

They were gagging to call me a man-hater and a French hater but managed to rein themselves in.

Very true. I was disgusted by DSK's friends and allies, talking about how incredibly cruel his treatment at the hands of American police and judiciary was. One guy said he had tears in his eyes thinking about it. Idiots.

twat

Ah yes PIL were outraged by the handcuffing.

This was the point when they said 'innocent until proven guilty' the most rabidly.

Most of the other French people I know (who are my age) think that he has probably stepped over a line one time too many.

Don't know whether to laugh or cry (decision: cry) at "what was she doing in his room anyway?" - it just shows how these lines get trotted out every time regardless of whether they make any sense at all.

This article is quite good.

www.tnr.com/article/against-the-current/88598/strauss-kahn-levy-daniel-badinter-IMF

Bernard-Henri Lévy is a pompous misogynistic dickhead.

Gosh I have no idea about that SGM - will ask DH. I am an ignorant ex-pat.

PIL would explode in a fit of champagne socialist rage if I mentioned that to them.

Greythorne, that link is fantastic. It perfectly captures the vicious pomposity of Henri-Levy.

I enjoyed reading this no holds barred right royal slagging off of Henri-Levy.

I want to throw things at the television every-time he comes on to show off his hair 'philosophise'.

themoderatevoice.com/110410/bernard-henri-levys-latest-campaign-saving-dominque-strauss-kahn/

French media has now named the victim. Her lawyer said today she can't go home, she can't go to work, and is suffering trauma that extends beyond what happened to her in the hotel room. Her whole life is turned upside down.

This more than anything is what puts the kibosh on conspiracy theories for me. Whatever the outcome of the trial, how can it be claimed by otherwise intelligent people that a woman would put herself, her daughter and wider family through all this, presumably simply for money?

The French media coverage people have linked to amounts to nothing more sophisticated than special pleading for a fellow member of the elite. It is chilling to see how far these people feel their lack of accountability should go. It doesn't matter to most of them, I think, whether DKS committed a savage sexual assault or not. They seem to believe DSK ought not to be subject to law in the way ordinary people are.

Fantastic links Greythorne and Beachcomber.... I hope something good comes out of this terrible case

I feel terribly sorry for that poor woman on so many levels.

She must be terrified, not only by what has happened to her, but by the wider ramifications.

I'm concerned that the pressure will lead her to drop the charges. I have no idea how the US legal system works - what would happen if she decided that she wasn't able to go through with it?

(Apart from half of France gloating that she had 'cried rape' and me having to move back to the UK to get away from it all.)

I am disgusted that the French press have named the woman.

So angry the woman has been named. Poor, poor woman.

I would be v v surprised if her version of events isn't genuine.

I'll be even more surprised if that randy old goat receives appropriate punishment. I'll remain hopeful though.

marking my spot - this has been the source of some interesting arguments with DH.

Tob Young has printed a typically shallow blog piece on this (on his blog and in The Telegraph) comParing DSK with Sherman from Bonfire of the Vanities. Idiot.

Also, a further sad note re the victim; The NY Post is reporting that she lives in an apartment reserved for people (adults) with HIV / AIDs. Talk about blighted life.

Greythorne, re her apartment - what the Post reports is akin to the rubbish that appears in the Sun (doesn't mean it isn't 100% true, but don't hold your breath )

(I'd never heard that NY has special accommodation reserved for those with HIV/AIDS?)

Interesting that the French press is complaining that Dominique Strauss-Kahn was shown on American TV in handcuffs, whereas the American media haven't named the hotel chambermaid who was involved, and the French aren't too fussy about that.

Here's a piece that concentrates on his past record, which is pretty dismal as far as treatment of women is concerned. His tendency to become violent when thwarted seems to be well established, but he's never been called to account for it:

www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2072209,00.html

Ponders
Oh, i do agree re The Post
Not reliable

The HIV / AIDs story is all over the US blogs, too. Again, doesn't mean much as they could all be taking their info from The Post.

naming the victim- how is that legal in France?