Dominic Strauss-Kahn released

[aliceliddell]

There is no case to answer because Ms Diallo is an 'unreliable witness'. No medical or forensic evidence is relevant. When raped women are 'witnesses' in the legal system, their credibility is the topic of contention, not the evidence. The issue of consent is largely ignored. Criminal law requires 'presumption of innocence' and 'beyond reasonable doubt'. Is it this combination that results in an inadequate legal response to sexual violence or other factors? Can this be changed?

I could add an eighth thing:

Edd wonders why slhilly is acting rather holstile towards Edd. Edd will shrug it off though will still be wondering what he did to upset slhilly

I think it might be act entitled and ignorant in a feminist space.

HTH

well StewieGriffinsMom, it's just different viewpoints, I take one side you take the other. It's just as credible for me to say my belief in DSK increases because you don't believe him. I stand by my position

Really? Really? I've spelled out seven things we know about you, all of which are not complimentary, to put it mildly. Some of them are especially egregious on a feminist board.

"What would be her motive for lying about whether DSK raped her or not?"

Money?

It is clear to everyone (prosecutors, press, and even you) that she has once, very convincingly and in detail, lied about being raped when she wasn't and therefore it is conceivable that she could again lie about being raped when she wasn't.

You didn't upset me. You just wrote stupid misogynistic twaddle on a feminist board and I challenged it. Rather than shrug off what I write, it would be better for you to reflect on it. For example, you could have another go at spotting your misogyny and who knows, make a different choice and become a less bigoted person. It would be nice

Is it misogynistic to believe that perhaps now and again, for whatever reasons, some women do lie about being raped? I get confused sometimes on the feminist threads.

What money though Cote?

Is Tristane Banon in it for money too?

As I understand it DNA evidence proved that some sexual encounter took place, and Strauss-Kahn eventually admitted to a sexual encounter, but claimed it was consensual.

Now in my view just because Diallo has lied about being raped then it does not mean that she was not raped by Strauss-Kahn.

The fact that the charges against Strauss-Kahn have been dropped, do not, mean he is not guilty; it merely means that the prosecutors did not feel that their case (which depended largely on Diallo's credibility) was a strong enough case to convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that he was guilty.

However, I do think his credibility has been shot to pieces. I think his credibility was lost during the prep walk - which I would imagine is done to act as a form of public deterrent.

As to how you change the legal system op - well I am scratching my head and trying to think on that one?

Tristane Banon response.

I wonder if Tristane will be seen as more credible because she comes from a well off, established family ?

Redsun, I can imagine there are many, many looking at creative ways to undermine and discredit Ms Banon as we type.

Edd, and sadly many folks believe that unless there is a conviction of rape, that rape did not take place. Therefore, no conviction = complainant was a liar, and this kind of "lie" is far worse it seems than almost any other kind of lie.

So, we know that something like 4 or 6% of alleged rapes reported to the authorities result in a conviction, Edd and those who share his views believe that 95% of women who say they have been raped are liars - and guilty of one of the worse types of lies there is.

Actually, because far more rapes are not reported to the authorities, so also do not result in convictions, Edd would view even a larger proportion of women as liars.

But, let's not forget men and children of both sexes can be raped, and when such cases are brought, they also rarely result in a conviction.

That means then that edd must believe that most men who claim they are raped, and most children who claim they are raped are also liars - guilty of one of the worst kind of lies.

Or, in Edd's logic, are men and children somehow more credible than women and not necessarily liars, even if they don't see their rapists convicted?

Just wonderin.

What do you mean, "what money?", Beachcomber?

You asked what could possibly be her motive for lying, and I said it could be money. From some Sarkozy cronie.

You have to admit that the timing of this incident is very curious.

Ms Banon has already been attacked in the press as being unstable/a fantasist/part of a conspiracy to discredit DSK (bit odd this one considering her mother is a Socialist) etc.

Poor DSK huh - he just seems to be one very unlucky guy what with being the victim of the gold digging whore false rape claim and the vengeful fantasist false attempted rape claim.

Considering that false rape claims are no more common than false claims for any other sort of crime, it would appear that he is one unlucky dude to be the victim of two such claims in his lifetime! Not only that, but the poor guy is just surrounded by conspiracies! Sheesh, you couldn't make it up.

I mean when you think how rare conspiracies are, and when you think how rare false rape claims are, one can only think how unusually unlucky this man with a reputation for sexual harassment seduction and aggressive sexual predation womanising, is.

But there is no evidence whatsoever that anyone has paid Ms Diallo to make the claims she has - that is just pure speculation/wishful thinking on the part of people who are having trouble separating the personal from the political.

I also think it is a hugely offensive thing to imply about this woman on the basis of zero evidence, other than handy timing for Sarkozy. DSK is well known to be a sexual predator - the only surprising thing is that he hasn't been part of a scandal before. Oh wait, he has - when he allegedly attempted to rape Tristane Banon.

CoteDAzur - where is the evidence of money obsession - I mean what an odd way to go about getting money from DSK.

If all she wanted was money, why didn't she just deal with DSK direct - why go through the whole hassle of getting the police involved?

I do find it very odd that people think Ms DIallo was in it for the money? I say that as someone who has stayed in that hotel and knowing that the staff that supported their co-worker most certainly would not have got paid time off work to do so.

I mean why don't people talk about the obvious money and power obsession of DSK? Why is his obsession with power and money simply accepted?

Cote, let me ask. Imagine Ms Diallo was unfortunate enough to be raped this weekend. Horrible to contemplate, I know, but bear with me. How could she obtain justice, in your view, given her past lies? Or is she denied it forever?

There was such a power imbalance between them that I would have liked to have seen DSK attempt to explain in court how he ensured her consent in the 7-9 minute hurried sexual encounter between complete strangers that left his semen spattered on a hotel room carpet.

noblegiraffe, I completely agree.

Are we to believe that Sarkozy's cronies set this women up in a job in a hotel three years before the event so that they could conspire against DSK when the time was ripe? Plus using their crystal ball to know that he would stay at that hotel on that date and be in his room after check out time when the staff would expect the room to be empty?

Or did they interview other women in the employ of the hotel in order to see who was up for sucking his penis, being forensically examined, interviewed by police, smeared in the press, at risk for deportation, at risk for being sued and paraded in the world media as a liar? I bet they were queuing up at the Sofitel for a bit of that 'easy' cash. Not.

C'mon.

Noblegiraffe
Quite.

Interesting article about the culture of blaming rape victims in the US.

CRIKRI. Though it is unfortunate that no conviction = no rape, do your feminist duty and start making the world a better place

I never once stated that all alleged victims are lyers, but it has been known that some women for whatever reason have lied about being raped. Cyrstal Mangum ring a bell?

Now your putting words in my mouth, if a woman doesn't go to the police after being raped that doesn't make her a liar, you know some women are feel so degraded that they wont report it? Or they fear they wont be believed? These are but two reasons of many

Some men might lie about it, some children might. We're all capable of lying sweetheart

I wont bye for a minute you are this naive

Eddl - Sweetheart, along with dear and honey are highly objectionable terms when used for women. So, don't use them.