How Long Has Dominique Strauss-Kahn Been Getting Away with Rape?
Posted: May 16, 2011 Filed under: just because 71 Comments
Dominique Strauss-Kahn flanked by NYPD officers
I’m sure no one here at Sky Dancing is surprised to learn that Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who was arrested for attacking a maid at a NYC hotel, now faces another charge of sexual assault–this one from back in 2002. From the Guardian UK:
A local official of the Socialist party claimed that Strauss-Kahn had attacked her daughter, who is goddaughter to Strauss-Kahn’s second wife, in 2002.
Tristane Banon was in her 20s and writing a book when she approached Strauss-Kahn for an interview in 2002. In a TV programme in 2007, in which Strauss-Kahn’s name had been bleeped out, Banon allegedly described him as a “rutting chimpanzee” and described how she was forced to fight him off. “It finished badly … very violently … I kicked him,” Banon said. “When we were fighting, I mentioned the word ‘rape’ to make him afraid, but it didn’t have any effect. I managed to get out.”
So why didn’t Banon press charges after the attack? She thought about it and even talked to a lawyer, but decided that she “didn’t want to be known to the end of my days as the girl who had a problem with the politician.” In addition, her mother thought the attack must have been a rare exception to Strauss-Kahn’s normally “warm” and “sympathetic” behavior.
“Today I am sorry to have discouraged my daughter from complaining. I bear a heavy responsibility,” she said….[because] the attack left her daughter depressed and traumatised. “My daughter, despite the passing years, is still shocked by these facts. Her life was completely upset by this affair and she was depressed for a long time.” She added that it was clear Strauss-Kahn had “difficulty controlling his urges”.
Unfortunately, this man has very likely been getting away with sexually assaulting women for most of his life. Men who rape rarely do it just once. Sure enough multiple media outlets are now reporting that Strauss-Kahn was widely known to have difficulty controlling his impulses with women. From MSNBC:
Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s reputation with women earned him the nickname “the great seducer,” and not even an affair with a subordinate could knock the International Monetary Fund leader off a political path pointed in the direction of the French presidency.
The trouble is that the “affair with a subordinate” wasn’t really an “affair,” as I understand that term. Here is how the situation is described by the Guardian:
…in 2008, after a well-documented affair with Piroska Nagy a Hungarian economist and a junior colleague at the IMF, he was forced to publicly apologise for “an error of judgment”, but was cleared of abusing his position. He insisted the relationship was consensual, but when his wife, journalist Anne Sinclair, described it as a “one-night stand”, an indignant Nagy wrote to investigators saying: “I was not prepared for the advances of the IMF director general. I didn’t know what to do … I felt damned if I do, damned if I don’t.” Nagy left her job at the IMF after the affair, and hinted at harassment of female staff, adding that her boss had “without question” used his position to seduce her.
The Guardian also quotes Thierry Saussez, a former adviser to French President Nicholas Sarkozy, as saying that no one should be surprised by Strauss-Kahn’s behavior with a hotel maid in NYC–that it is well known that Strauss-Kahn “has a problem” and that female journalists are loathe to interview him.
More information has come out about what actually happened during that hotel “assault,” and it is much worse than originally reported. From New York Magazine:
IMO, forcing someone to perform oral sex is, in fact, rape. If that isn’t in the definition of rape in the criminal codes, it needs to be included. I’m beginning to think we really do need a new definition of rape–and not the one the Republicans proposed awhile back.
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
grayslady
mablue2
NW Luna
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
Isn’t it always the case that once one brave person takes it to the police that a group of victims comes out that were silent for so long. Banon should’ve stuck by her daughter instead of her political career … so sad.
Sad and disgusting!
The mother’s attitude was awful and I’m glad she is publicly acknowledging what she did to her daughter.
And at his age, he’s probably been at it for decades. Unfortunately, I think the French have closed down Devil’s Island.
“Urges,” my left butt cheek. Any animal with hands doesn’t need to violate another human being because of their “urges.” There are much simpler solutions.
The only urge involved is that of someone who gets off on humiliating victims.
Rape isn’t an “urge.” That’s just more of the usual normalization BS.
(I’m not saying Sky Dancing is doing that. I’m fulminating about the way this crap is reported. Drives me nuts, as you can probably tell.)
Yup, it drives me nuts too.
Yes, that word really grated with me too.
O/T Trump not running.
Gee, I wonder why?
/snark
i knew it was all about renegotiating his reality show contract and boosting the last ratings … what a jerk!
Look, The American Spector didn’t even mince words!
The End of a Publicity Stunt
You were so right about that Dak.
I hope he called all those investigators home from Hawaii………you know those who were finding out all sorts of things you wouldn’t ever believe.
If you’re interested in seeing the maps that show the Morganza flooding they are at the TP site here:
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2011/05/maps_of_mississippi_river_atch.html
Well a judge has denied bail for the Strauss-kahn pig…
I.M.F. Chief Is Held Without Bail – NYTimes.com
BTW the judge is a woman, Melissa C Jackson.
Good!
Emanuel sworn in as Chicago mayor http://bbc.in/lfNxhL
This guy as been getting away with rape for many, many years…WHY he’s no longer allowed to is the story…it is not because someone spoke up , believe me.
So true, the real question should be how he got away with it for so long – power of course. I feel for his family having to finally face up to the pig that this man is. How many of his high profiled, well paid buddies knew? And how many of them did exactly the same thing? After reading about the peace corp experience and other situations, one wonders.
not necessarily a bad thing for all of the family. I wonder how many of his younger female family members are feeling vindicated by his arrest.
This is how they get rid of someone…he’s done it for years and no problem…they know he will keep doing it of course ….then one day, when it time to open the trap door ….oops! it is a problem, they arrest his raping ass and the house of cards goes BOOM.
No elaborate set up is needed …just the law functioning for once with him .
Seriously. I have been having this conversation with my (French) husband for several days. As you can imagine, it has been a very hot topic in our household. How is it that a man can get to be close to 40 and NOT “get” that by the time a guy gets caught, it is very probably not a first offense?
Anyway, the WHY is really the interesting part of this story to me (just as with the Wikileaks guy). While I would be thrilled if this case was the harbinger of a wonderful new world where sexual assault is taken seriously, even where the man is rich and powerful and the woman is not — somehow I do not think that is what is going to happen. And I suspect the reason is something more interesting than just political advantage for Sarkozy.
I would urge caution in rushing to judgment. I understand the difficulties in leveling sexual assault charges against a powerful man full well, but I would still urge caution.
I suspect that, underneath it all, this is simply politics as usual – that is, getting rid of a political opponent by exposing sexual misconduct. Nothing at all to do with protecting women. More like using them for political purposes.
I’m not saying the allegations aren’t true. I’m saying I don’t know. And I have come to the point where I question every single headline grabber coming from our corrupt media.
I suspect that, underneath it all, this is simply politics as usual – that is, getting rid of a political opponent by exposing sexual misconduct. Nothing at all to do with protecting women. More like using them for political purposes
exactly and well said Much like when the GOP shed tears over women’s plight where ever they want to invade at the moment
I guess I don’t understand the bottom line on this then. Should the charges be dropped?
I think there should be equal caution in suggesting that the woman in NYC–a poor woman of color–was somehow trying to bring down a candidate for the French presidency. I would need some real evidence before I buy that.
BTW. the police have the perpetrator’s DNA, and Strauss-Kahn gave samples. The police will know soon enough if he did it.
I’m not saying the charges should be dropped. I am not saying, nor did I say in my earlier post, that the woman is lying or trying to take down a candidate for political office. I would never make such an statement absent proof.
I’m saying I’ve been propagandized to so many times that I do not trust the media. At all. Ever. Especially in this country.
I’m saying the timing is suspect. Why now? Why never before? This guy could be guilty of some sort of sexual assault AND the prosecution and the timing of the prosecution designed to help someone else, probably the U.S., in some fashion.
So, let’s follow up on the allegations for sure. Let’s also see who is helped by taking this guy out of commission now. (And I am not referring to some “poor woman of color” in NYC.)
The bottom line is: be on guard against propaganda. My bet is someone (or many someones) has an agenda here.
I have to say, when it comes to taking down a rapist, I don’t care what the motivations are.
The fact that two women have now come forward is enough for me.
That’s how I feel, MadamaB. I don’t care if there is some political reason why the allegations are being believed and investigated this time. The guy was disciplined in the past for sexual harrassment and this time he raped a poor, powerless woman of color. He shouldn’t be on the street, much less running a major institution like the IMF.
Hear, hear, MB. I’m not about to tread cautiously when it comes to someone who has been accused of more than one sexual assault. It’s politics and treading cautiously that has protected this monster for too long, it’s time to lock him up to keep women safe.
of course it’s good a rapist is off the street…what people are saying is it was not because the rule of law acting as it should that’s he’s in jail. He’s not off the street because he’s a rapist….there’s another reason and one wonders what it is
Paper doll, I know exactly what people are saying. I disagree with it. You don’t have to asplain it to me. 😉
The ONLY reason people are urging “caution” is because this guy is allegedly a lefty and he was possibly going to beat right-wing (for France) Sarkozy. I resent the living f*ck out of that. It’s a mentality that needed to die a long time ago, but both lefties and righties are permeated through and through with it.
I’ll just put it out there: What if it was Mitt Romney, the presumed Repub front runner, who was accused of rape and sexual assault? Would any of the people who are urging “caution” speak up then?
If someone is a rapist, what difference does it make if he’s right or left? I don’t want him in a position of power no matter who is revealing the information that brings him down.
Totally agree here.
This also reminds me of another guy – Assange.
Word to that, madamab. Who cares if Sarcozy’s motives aren’t pure, this guy belongs in jail and certainly not in the President’s office. Parties wouldn’t be vulnerable to this type of thing if they’d put as much effort into actually taking sexual assault seriously and not promoting known rapists as they do complaining about political motivations every time they get caught out.
And I bet there were plenty of elements in France’s equivalent of Dude Nation who were just delighted that female reporters were loathe to get near this guy, thinking it was an advantage to neutralize half the press corps, too.
There is an interesting take on this at Corrente:
http://correntewire.com/sex_charged_imf_chief_–_possible_set
Essentially they are wondering if it could possibly be a set-up of sorts – like Elliot Spitzer. It does seem that this guy’s problem was well-known for a long time, but now he gets arrested (finally).
Politically motivated or not – if he’s guilty he deserves prison.
If it’s a set-up, then I need to know how the woman was induced to participate. Spitzer was bugged by the NSF. The woman he was with didn’t turn him in. In this case, the woman reported the assault directly to the police. They had to act.
No, they did not have to act…I’m sure police haven’t ” acted” on such events in this man’s wake all over the world for years…
Why now?
it could be a matter of just waiting for a time when he does this , it seems a regular event….rather than set up. Let him hang himnself , as they know he will
nothing has to be in place…but why the law actully funtions for some one like this is not a simple matter
I suspect there was a phone call that went something like this:
NYPD: Your guy got over the wall again.
French Embassy: Un moment. (Quick call to Paris.) Monsieur Commissionaire, saute his ass. Avec des champignons.
This man is a Lefty???
Is this what is conciderd Left??
HELP US !!
I certainly don’t give a damn about that . You mean because he’s suposely a Left, he’s getting a break in some quaters?
LOL!!! …
I’m interested only in why the law worked this time when it looked away for so many years….I’m sure he should of been in jail long ago.
It’s a mentality that needed to die a long time ago,
I certainly agree with that 100%
but both lefties and righties are permeated through and through with it.
sadly and astonishinly…
“DSK” is a former Communist and a current member of the Partie Socialiste in France.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominique_Strauss-Kahn
He’s actually been saying a lot of good things from his position on all kinds of things but nothing excuses sexual assault.
The law worked this time because it happened outside of France. It is also the first time he has been accused of a violent attack rather than seduction.
why is it that I think the french definition of seduction might be different than ours?
After watching the 2008 War on Women (also known as the U.S. presidential election), I will never again assume that “left”/”liberal”/”not-Republican” = feminist, or even not-misogynist.
Hell, he’s not fearful of the systems/insititutions/justices in place in any part of the world. They don’t work in creating justice for women, they are in place to give more power to the men. He could care less about women’s problems and women’s pain. In other words he goes after poor women, low status workers of women, and assaults them, and tells them this is what you deserve.
This economically privileged man needs to sit his ass under the jail, as he is beyond help.
Ye gods, this has nothing to do with whether this particular jerk is left or right. It has to do with justice. Due process. Accusations, especially those thrown about in the media cesspool, are accusations only. Accusations do not equal guilt. That is not justice.
And, yes, poor women of color can lie, just like every single other human being on this planet. I am not accusing this woman of lying – I keep saying that to deaf ears – nor am I accusing her of anything nefarious at all, but if she is to be considered credible based solely on her gender and color and financial situation, then what have we learned?
I’m for justice. Simple. What is justice in this case? Well, for starters, how about waiting until there is more information, reliable information, before imposing guilt.
I raised the other point about what is going on behind the scenes, in addition to whatever crime this guy may have committed. Two different issues: (1) Did this guy commit rape (to be proven in a court of law or by a plea bargain)? If so, impose whatever sentence the law mandates (do I really have to write this?) and (2) Whose agenda is being served here by the allegations and perp walk? The dude doesn’t get off a rape charge simply because someone took advantage of this situation, but the larger picture remains important.
The mainstream media is a propaganda machine and should never be trusted. Even when it appears to be on the side of a poor working woman. Yeah, right.
I also deplored the assassination of OBL. Our guy. Our CIA. That doesn’t mean I was on OBL’s side. It means I suspect a rat. They shut him up real quick. (And, of course, it was election time.)
Sure, next thing you’ll be telling me is that Obama gives a shit about women.
Honestly, what is it with people and their reading comprehension?
Sure, next thing you’ll be telling me is that Obama gives a shit about women.
No, mjames, having been screaming about how Obama hates women since early 2008, I don’t think that’s going to happen. How utterly ridiculous. The two things have absolutely NOTHING to do with each other.
For any woman to accuse any man of rape is a huge deal. Always, she is going to be accused of lying and questioned and blamed for the rape. Look what happened with Lara Logan, who was gang-raped by 200-300 men and still her ordeal was made light of, and still she was blamed for taking such dangerous assignments.
In addition, having another woman come forward lends heavy weight to the accusations.
This is not the same thing as Eliot Spitzer, who visited a prostitute. This was sexual violence with an UNWILLING partner. And, recidivism counts. This man was doing this shit in 2002. One person might be a setup, but two? And the mother gets in on it? And he takes off in a real hurry after he rapes the woman in the hotel and tries to leave the country? Why would he do that?
At some point, you have to admit that two plus two equals four.
Oh, and I deplored the assassination of OBL. In case you were pulling that out of nowhere too.
Thank you madamab for expressing my thoughts so well.
mjames, while I appreciate that the media is totally a propaganda machine, this man is accused of RAPE. Let it go through the courts, but do not try to reduce the gravity of the situation by suggesting that it’s perhaps a witch hunt because of politics.
I would assume that in a high profile case the NYPD have a fairly substantial case. He is headed to Riker’s on a first offense. The judge would have to be in on it too for him not to get some bond set even at an outrageous level.
From what I understand, they have DNA from the assault, and Strauss Kahn gave a sample when he was arrested.
Meanwhile, back in the middle of nowhere …
Iowa Senate Passes Law To Stop One Doctor From Opening Abortion Clinic http://bit.ly/lyDSAF
Ron Paul on Strauss-Kahn’s arrest: ‘These are the kinds of people who are running the IMF’
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2011/05/ron-paul-imf-dominique-strauss-kahn.html
Meanwhile Steve Clemons of the Washington Note:
I really hate how this story is being talked about as if this was consensual sex instead of sexual violence.
Valhalla’s got amazing comments on the Corrente thread about the use of terms like “sex scandal” and *winces* “honeypot” (one of the most popular terms in the liberal blogosphere these days, God Bless America!).
But Clemons is even worse, because I’m not 100% sure he understands that there even is a difference between consensual sex and sexual violence. He seems to be saying that righteous warriors for humanity can do whatever they want. And Cole is asking why the US has such “harsh” prosecution for sex crimes but lets war criminals off the hook, as if there’s some earthly connection there that only Fratboy Nation can hear.
Men close ranks when things like this happen. It’s like the suddenly have to question themselves. They always fall back on assuring themselves what they do is really big and important so they don’t have to think about the times they may have ignored women to do their things. Men think their functions in the banal parts of life justify anything.
I don’t know if Clemons is saying a “good guy” can do whatever he wants or not, but he frames it as an issue of human weakness rather than a criminal act and that’s almost worse in some ways. It’s not surprising, just frustrating watching the media coverage paint this as if it’s a story of a poor powerful man undone by his own self-sabotage, rather than the story of yet another powerful man who has a history of raping women and elites looking the other way. This is the same media that acted like the WH had been sullied for consensual, albeit extramarital sex. I don’t know, I just find it infuriating that women always get treated like objects in the entire thing no matter what way it gets framed.
I know, but in the context of framing it as mere excusable human frailty, he does use the word “assaulted,” he is fully aware of how serious it is, just not to him. Consent, no consent, why quibble, it’s all the same–unless they can use it to their advantage. Yeah, the boards are full of apologists bringing up Newt and Larry Craig and infidelity as if it’s all the same.
Seriously, I think we’re saying the same thing re: conflating ?? He’s talking about assault as if it’s consensual… that was why I brought that excerpt here.
The reason I said I wasn’t sure if Clemons is saying DSK or whoever should be able to do whatever he wants or not (just bc they’ve done other good things etc etc) is because he threw in that weak tea disclaimer of “not because his faults should be overlooked–they shouldn’t”– I mean I think he’s saying there that he shouldn’t be able to get away with it, but that we should feel this huge sorrow over DSK not being superhuman, as if the default human position is to commit assault.
Yeah, the only point I was trying to make is that if he gets called out, I think his use of the word will make it hard for him to take the weasel road of pretending he “wasn’t fully aware of the circumstances” or whatever. He kind of staked his position on that, IMO, not that it matters since he’ll never be called upon to defend his position anyway. (Sorry, I knew I wasn’t making much sense–probably still not, but was too tired to try and clarify. 🙂
I get what you’re saying Seriously. You weren’t doing a poor job, but I think in Dude Nation dictionary, assault is considered different than “rape rape” (a la Whoopi Goldberg saying “in Europe it’s not considered rape-rape”…barf.)
I guess I didn’t make myself clear. I wasn’t trying to say that he wasn’t *aware* of the sexual violence circumstances or that he was understanding it as consensual. My point was that he was talking about it in the same language you’d use to describe a case of consensual sex scandal–“human” “faults” etc. I feel like a lot of people are using that kind of language (on the internet and off it) to describe the situation even though it is known that we’re talking about assault for which DSK has been criminally charged.
Yeah, not really sure if anything actually qualifies as rape-rape these days. This is supposedly their one “real” scenario, stranger jumps out unexpectedly and wrestles you into submission, and yet, not so much, apparently. I guess he needs to have a gun and there need to be bushes.
No, no, Wonk. You were totally clear, I understood what you were saying. as a deliberate strategy to obscure the issue and attempt to conflate rape with consensual sex, he’s tripped himself up, though. I think other commentators will carefully avoid using words like “assault” to confuse the issue. Unless, they’re brazen and just don’t care and think they can get away with it, which could very well happen as well.
Unfortunately, I think he and that whole crowd are that brazen. Clemons is respected in foreign policy circles… nobody will call him on it… instead he’ll get praised for sharing his personal experiences with and insight on Strauss-Kahn.
It’d be wonderful to see the public push back against this framing as they did with Polanski. Our political culture seemingly is only capable of regressing at a rapid rate, but maybe we’re making a little progress outside of the bubble. I’ve been surprised to see some comments in places where you wouldn’t think anyone would bother, which is sort of encouraging.
Oh, good Lord.
Interesting sidenote… DSK has been a Huffpo blogger…
http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/dominique-strauss-kahn-huffington-post-blogger_b35772
WTF?!? Matt Yglesias is truly clueless class…
http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/dominique-strauss-kahn/
I added the underline bc what is he talking about liberalism in the US? Is he seriously talking about under Obama? And while he’s saying DSK’s sexual violence disqualifies him from being the hope of liberalism, something about the tone here just sounds off.
Wonk, that is what I was saying with my comment up above…that there is a lot of moaning and groaning from the “progressive” blogosphere because this guy was a lefty. You just wait, some woman-hating moron like Andrew Sullivan is going to come out and support Strauss-Kahn wholeheartedly.
Meanwhile, if Strauss-Kahn was as “liberal” as Obama, it looks like France just dodged a bullet. Sarkozy is still far to the left of Obama by any measure.
Seriously. Our move to France is now set for July 1 (well, that’s when the tenants will move into the house — we’ll probably do a little American road trip and actually get on a plane the second or third week of July). And while I suppose I should be Team-Anybody-But-Sarkozy (and I did love Segolene Royale), really we are looking at a quality of life that is SO much higher regardless of who wins the next election, I’m not really shedding many tears for DSK or his party, which may be complicit in covering up his crimes for many years.
Wow! That’s so exciting! Be sure you stick around here too to practice your English!!!
Thanks! Work sucks so much right now that I would be perfectly happy to get on a plane TODAY.