IMF Chief in sex assault scandal

[CatInASuit]

and it's a scandal for quite a few reasons.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn is the head of the IMF and has spent the last few years running around the globe trying to prevent the banking structure from imploding. He was also due to run for the French presidency and was favourite to take the role from Sarkozy.

Considering previous French disregard for the love lives of their leader, Mitterand had three families on the go, for one to be shamed by a sex scandal is a shock. However, there is a large difference between an affair and a sexual assault and it appears the DSK may have had previous in this area, although nothing has ever come out.

His supporters are saying that it is unbelievable that he would do something like this or that it is a setup by someone else.

Regardless, the NYPD have had him in for a DNA sample and are taking it seriously. In some ways its good that even the most powerful of people have to answer to the law, rare though that may be. I do wonder if it was because he was a Frenchman in New York.

More on the story here.

[Orual]

Regardless, the NYPD have had him in for a DNA sample and are taking it seriously. In some ways its good that even the most powerful of people have to answer to the law, rare though that may be. I do wonder if it was because he was a Frenchman in New York.

Is there some stereotype about New Yorkers not liking the French that I'm unaware of?

It's a very odd story, but I can't help but think that the NYPD wouldn't pursue the case so aggressively unless they had some strong evidence. As for it being a set-up ... well, of course people are going to say that.

[Rube E. Tewesday]

I'm guessing that the NYPD was aware from the Roman Polanski case how difficult it is to extradite a sex criminal from France, and felt that they had no time to lose.

[OneCentStamp]

This sounds like a plot synopsis for an episode of Law & Order: SVU.

[Zuul]

I'm guessing that the NYPD was aware from the Roman Polanski case how difficult it is to extradite a sex criminal from France, and felt that they had no time to lose.

Yeah, this was my assumption as to why they reacted so quickly. He's a French citizen and it would have been difficult to drag him back.

[CatInASuit]

It looks as thought DSK ideas of how far he is allowed to go to pursue women don't quite match up with the laws in NY.

The side effects of this look like being him being unable to run for French President this year and the IMF having to go on hold while they sort out what steps they want to take next. I hope the fund doesn't go into stasis because otherwise several countries will go bankrupt.

[Zweedo Rodriguez]

[What Exit?]

Oddly enough, Jon Stewart used Pepe Le Pew in a visual joke on this Dominique Strauss-Kahn ass. Surprisingly he did not use the classic "KHANNNNN!" line though.

[Elendil's Heir]

Looks like a pretty strong case against the guy so far, although of course he's presumed innocent. I guess some other women are now coming forward to say he wasn't exactly the perfect gentleman with them, either. Odd that this story would break in the same week as Ahnuld acknowledging an affair and a secret child. Too often, men + power + access to women = appalling senses of entitlement. Seduction is one thing; sexual assault is quite another.

The Sarkozy people must be very happy right now.

[CatInASuit]

Looks like the defence will be going for it being a consensual act between the pair. The NYPD are giving DSK the full works, cavity searches, nude photos for injuries, DNA testing, pretty much the same as happened to Michael Jackson, when he was arrested.

It's weird contrasting the French and their avoidance of mentioning such activities for their politicians and the Americans attitude over such matters.

[Rube E. Tewesday]

Without prejudging his guilt, I just got thinking about hotel maids. I bet they get a lot of abuse -- endless streams of every type of person passing through the hotels, and many of the maids coming from cultures where they're already conditioned to accept abuse from higher status men.

[Elendil's Heir]

Here's a French female journo's take on it: http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/05/1...ex.html?hpt=T2

[Orual]

Interesting article; I find the bundling of a sexual assault charge with "bedroom politics" and consensual affairs quite disturbing, though. French women don't accuse men of sexual harrassment? Gosh, how enlightened. And so relevent to DSK's charges, too!

[Hatshepsut]

I should know better by now, but I always have the same reaction to this kind of thing: what were they thinking?!?!?!? Extramarital sex, yeah sure, it's very common (and probably often true) to believe one can get away with that. But assault? Hello?

Assuming he's guilty, I truly don't get why he would force himself on the housekeeper.

[Orual]

Probably that he expected her to put up with it, because women have in the past. I have no trouble believing that the rich and powerful just become accustomed to the little people acquiescing to their desires.

[CatInASuit]

That's the problem France has atm, the extra part of assault. If it had be consensual, they would not have batted an eyelid.

Apparently he has always had this reputation, but its never been reported on.

[Elendil's Heir]

French feminists react: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_865146.html

[CatInASuit]

Latest reports are saying that they found a few sperm samples from DSK on the maid's dress.

Can't wait to see the justification for that one.

[CatInASuit]

Interesting update on this case.

It looks as though it is close to collapse due to a lack of credibility of the main witness. It will be interesting to see if the terms of bail change or even if this makes it to court.

[Zuul]

If she kept changing her story with the authorities and had lied about so many unrelated things, it makes it really hard to go forward at all. It's unfortunate that the truth might never be known, since it could be that there's a language barrier or confusion or, yeah, she's a pathological liar but she still really did get attacked. Or she could be a crazy woman who had consensual sex with him.

[Elendil's Heir]

All possibly true. DSK - now released from house arrest and free to move about - must be thanking his lucky stars for the presumption of innocence.

Good on the Manhattan DA to explain their witness problems sooner rather than later (as happened in the Duke lacrosse case).

[CatInASuit]

Oh dear, and now the rumour is that we have the prostitution angle as well.

The latest rumour is that she was also working the floors at the same time and DSK either misunderstood or refused to pay for certain acts. And she cried rape to get back at him.

Makes you wonder what they are going to come up with next.

Regardless of what happens, this is really going to make it difficult for future cases of this type. Especially with the amount of digging into the victims background going well above and beyond and every single little thing gets dragged out.

[Zuul]

It really does make me wish that we didn't immediately release the name of anyone accused of a crime, especially crimes like this. I know it would have been difficult to maintain privacy in his case, but spreading it all out in public like this is dreadful and only makes things worse.

[Elendil's Heir]

In principle, I agree with you, but in media-saturated NYC and for a high-profile defendant like this, I'm afraid it's never gonna happen. Someone is always gonna blab.