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Original poster

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

262 replies

darleneoconnor · 15/05/2011 10:24

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.

OP posts:
hudspur · 18/05/2011 23:47

"What I find peculiar is that the Ftench legal system, unlike the UK/US, assumes guilt until proven innocent and not innocent until proven guilty.

So why are they who whining about handcuffs making him look guilty?"

No they don't the French use innocent until proven guilty

wikolite · 18/05/2011 23:51

Strauss-Khan is apowerful man and has many friends both in France and the rest of the world so its not surprising at the reaction.

MoreBeta · 19/05/2011 07:36

He has now officially resigned as Head of the IMF and is saying he wanted to devote "all his energy" to battle the sexual assault charges.

ChristinedePizan · 19/05/2011 08:13

And that he would like to be released from Riker's Island and live in Manhattan wearing an electronic security tag. I'm sure most of the island's inmates would like that too Hmm

Beachcomber · 19/05/2011 08:21

Interesting articles, especially the Times one about DSK's past as a sexual predator.

I don't know why the French are so tolerant of this sort of behaviour. It is very much part of the culture and it is disgusting. I have been sexually harassed in every job I have had in France, except the one I have now. There is a lot of feminist work to be done in this country.

I had a good old rant with a French feminist friend last night - she said that it was great to speak to me about this because so many people she knows are coming out with rape apology. It seems there are a lot of people who agree that he has 'a reputation' but they insist on implying that he was 'a ladies man'. Don't know about anyone else but the phrase 'ladies man' just screams sex predator at me.

I absolutely fucking hate it when men say 'I love women'. What they really mean is 'I love sticking my cock in women' and 'it doesn't matter much who the woman is as long as I stick my cock in her and she doesn't complain about being a cum receptacle and an ego boost'.

Men who say they love women really mean they fucking love themselves and their penis.

flyingcloud · 19/05/2011 08:39

Beachcomber, I am feeling your anger.

France is so 'behind' in so many ways. Misogyny and racism abound here. I have made a big difference in DH already (He is a nice person, so willing to be 'educated' :) ) Tlhe rise of FN is truly frightening.

Here is another blight on the French political scene

I would like to become more 'active' here in France - any suggestions? We could start a discussion group, although it would be a series of angry rants I think.

Beachcomber · 19/05/2011 08:50

Very true about racism and the FN.

Another sore point with my PIL, who when they aren't defending 'socialist' sex predators, are complaining about les arabes.

It does make it difficult to live here sometimes, as one either has to keep one's gob firmly closed, or be considered a raving man-hater and French hater.

No you idiots - I hate misogyny and racism.

I suspect a discussion group would be a series of rants - could be therapeutic to share however!

flyingcloud · 19/05/2011 08:53

It's the comments about the colour of the members of the French football team that really get me and the complete unwillingness to accept responsibility for the colonisation of North Africa.

Anyway, thread hijack over, will maybe go start a thread and try and get people over to it.

InmaculadaConcepcion · 19/05/2011 09:46

On the question of why the French media is reporting the victim's name and not the American press...it may be the same as with UK law. The press in the UK risks contempt of court (which can mean an instant prison sentence for transgressors) if they break laws like not naming a rape victim in a case that is active in the UK. But the UK press is not, I believe, bound by such laws in other countries, so can be far more "relaxed" in reporting the details of cases that are active abroad. This may also be the case in France.

Mind you, it was a while ago that I did my Journalism Law module and the law may have changed since to have more international ramifications - especially now we're very much in the age of global communications.

But I don't imagine the US courts have jurisdiction over the French media, so they can name with impunity.

It's morally corrupt, though.

Beachcomber · 19/05/2011 09:46

Yes the unwillingness to accept responsibility for N. Africa and the consequences is phenomenal. Why do people like my PIL think that there are so many arabes (actually they are almost certainly French you idiots) in France?

I hate the way it is considered ok to air these Alf Garnett type views. I'm not saying that racism does not exist in the UK, but at least most people would accept that 'pakis go home' is not acceptable dinner party chit chat.

I'm finding it hard to be around quite a few of my French acquaintances at the moment. And it is not just our parents' generation. I know quite of few well educated people in their mid-thirties who complain about les arabes.

Most of the time I just want to shout at them to open a fucking history book and engage their brains. (Actually probably wouldn't help because the reality of the atrocities of N. African colonisation has mostly been written out of French history.)

Sorry folks, hijack over. Do start that thread flyingcloud - let me know if you do. Cheers.

Beachcomber · 19/05/2011 09:52

AFAIA the press is legally entitled to name the victim but is not under obligation to do so.

The excuse given so far is that it is in order to quell the rumours of a set up. Hmm

I think in reality it is that the press don't see this woman as a victim in need of protection. They see France, DSK, Socialism, the Euro and the right for a French man to be 'un séducteur' as the victims in this affair.

celadon · 19/05/2011 10:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

celadon · 19/05/2011 10:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

flyingcloud · 19/05/2011 11:32

Beachcomber my thread is up and running, awaiting interesting input!

Beachcomber · 19/05/2011 11:48

Shock at 'nig nog'.

Will join your thread and try to be interesting Grin.

alexpolismum · 19/05/2011 14:58

Interesting to see how each country has its own perspective on this.

In Greece I've heard very little about the victim of the attack - one report even managed to avoid mention of her altogether. Here lots of people I've spoken to seem to think it's a conspiracy against Greece, as DSK was due to have talks with Angela Merkel about the Greek debt crisis, and negotiations were expected to start on restructuring the Greek debt, all derailed now. There has been a lot of focus on this and very little on the actual crime and the victim. Or if people remember to mention the victim, it is only to say that she was obviously paid off and bla bla conspiracy theory bla bla.

TeiTetua · 19/05/2011 17:40

Paranoia's a Greek word, right?

inappa · 19/05/2011 17:43

To be fair to Greece there economic situation is pretty serious so I can see why the ramifications of his arrest for their situation would come before the suspected attack itself.

MoreBeta · 19/05/2011 18:58

Just read elsewhere that Christine Lagarde the curent French Minister of Economic Affairs, Finances and Industry is being backed by USA, France and Germany to be the next Head of the IMF. I think the UK Govt would be happy with that.

She is a very capable woman, highly regarded and would do a good job.

Beachcomber · 20/05/2011 14:35

Celadron posted this link on another thread - thought it would be of interest to those here.

www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/may/19/men-behave-badly-strauss-khan

I'm disgusted by much of the French press.

Had a good conversation with my male French neighbour yesterday though who basically said 'no way is this a set up, but even if it was, he would bloody deserve it for all the women he has had a go at in the past'. He also expressed his disgust at the naming of the victim and how she has been treated by the press.

Straight2Extremes · 20/05/2011 23:03

Dominique Strauss-Kahn has been released on bail for 1million dollars

MoreBeta · 20/05/2011 23:18

..and a bail bond of $5 million, plus he has to pay $200k a month for a 24 hour armed guard and electronic surveillance.

AyeRobot · 20/05/2011 23:22

Holy cow! $200k a month! And $5m bond. I'm not sure which is better paid, chief of the IMF or a security firm. Actually, I can probably guess...

Earlybird · 21/05/2011 01:12

They are now reporting that DSK allegedly checked into the NYC hotel, and several minutes after arriving in his room, called the front desk to ask the woman on reception if she would come upstairs to his room to join him for a drink. She declined.

Looking for love, eh?

Greythorne · 21/05/2011 14:03

I am incandescent.
I live in France and have just had a conversation with an apparently educated 30 something woman who told me:

'she might be clear it was rape but he might be equally clear that it was seduction'

Where the fuck to you start with someone like that?