Le Grand Séducteur
THE "AFFAIRE DSK"
Left-Wing politician, deemed as the one threat to French Président Nicolas Sarkozy's 2012 Election Bid - or re-election as it may be - economics professor, ex-Minister, ex-Mayor of Sarcelles and until just this morning, Director of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, one of France's long-time reigning figures, has fallen.
And when I say fallen, I mean, fallen. Not just tumbled or stumbled; Dominque Strauss-Kahn, or DSK as he is known here in France, has completely plunged off into the depths of.......
Common criminaltiy.
Before I do continue writing further, I will explain where the thoughts and the commentaries in this article come from. First of all, I will not proceed to edit a legal and judicial analysis of the case. I am not, in any way, concerned nor related to either the Defendant nor the Prosecution. I will leave that to the very capable legal representatives that are involved. Secondly, the content of this article does not contain solely my own personal thoughts; there are also remarks and thoughts that I have heard, whether through interviews and discussions about the case at hand. Thirdly, I have never met DSK himself, and have never had any contact with him, and am not related to him in any way, whether it be closely or from far, and that also goes for the victim in question.
Finally, this is not a political manifesto, thus do not expect to find any lobbying for any party herewith.
The first question that can be asked is : Why did someone in DSK's position, do what he did?
Assuming that he is guilty, why would the Director of the International Monetary Fund attempt to sexually assault someone? Is he not in control of his impulses? Could he perhaps be ill, suffering from an addiction or even a pathology? Certainly, DSK has a reputation for being a "womanizer", whence his nickname, "The Great Seducer". We all know about his affair with a subordinate at the IMF in January 2008, as well as his numerous marriages, and his very famous remark during an interview for a French newspaper in 2010,
"Yes, I like women. So what?"
This begs a flood of other questions; that do not necessarily take us to nice places. If he really is uncontrollable in his contacts with women, then what is someone like that doing at the head of the most prestigious financial institution in the world? And why now? DSK is 62 years old and has decades of a political and public career behind him. Surely, there must be other victims, other cases. There is at least a supposed one, who has come forward, in France. Other politicians say that DSK's "problem with women" was the most well-known secret in political circles in France.
What were they thinking by keeping it a secret?
Was it to protect the public? Or themselves?
As it has already been exposed in other articles, the Latin countries have a notoriously twisted and confused to say the least, approach to sex. Men, any man, who has affairs, is one who is considered to be "vigorous" and "virile". Is this the way we want to view lotharios? Women, despite the feminist movement and the so-called liberation of women, are still in this day and age, viewed as objects, trophies and lesser in their position as men in France. A fellow journalist wrote in one of the biggest newspapers in France that, had this taken place on French soil, DSK would not have been arrested, not just because he is a member of an old, aristocratic family and of his public persona, but mostly because she is who she is. A cleaning lady.
".....As young boys, aristocrats practice on the domestic staff. He was just doing what any self-respecting French upper crust man does...."
I had believed until now that we were in 2011. I was not aware that we were still back in Medieval times.
And furthermore, although French law and society protects the "innocence" of an accused - and whether it was DSK's fellow politicians or the French public, who were all "profoundly" shocked by the images of DSK, handcuffed and being escorted by NYPD police officers (French law bans images of the type), the French press and the politicians are having a heyday describing the victim.
".....we have heard that she is surprisingly unattractive....certainly not someone who would merit being attacked....."
"....a taxi driver who knows her says that she has a beautiful backside and big breasts...."
"....why, she's just perfect isn't she? She's an immigrant, she's young, she speaks French, she has no bad past....the perfect candidate!..."
This is more shocking to me. Does this mean that had she been ugly, she would have not been attacked? Thus making it her fault, and not his? Does that insinuate that if you are considered to be attractive or more than the average, then you have to live in guilt and be hid away because you will have to expect that all men will attempt to rape you? And what about all these French feminists, who are usually so vocal. They have not said a word, not one, to defend this presumed victim, because lest we forget, she is a victim.
If anyone has suffered here, it is she. And if anyone has been brave, it is her, because she is playing David to the Goliath that DSK and the practically the entire French institution and societal public is.
I say bravo to her. And shame on them. It takes more courage to stand up against injustice than to spend a week at Riker's.
The French are notoriously laxist and "forgiving" about extraneous sexual conduct. Conviction for rape carries prison terms that are notoriously light. Politicians are known for their extra-marital affairs; from François Miterrand to DSK, the point of view that these men "play the field" is looked upon with an indulgent smile.
But surely, if DSK is guilty, a man who can barely control his physical impulses, must be unfit to head any institution, especially one like the IMF?
And now, let us go to the other side. Is it a conspiracy? Or consensual sex that "turned wrong"? Or perhaps someone looking for gain?
In the first case, a conspiracy seems highly unlikely, although there are many here in France who believe that it could be.
"....our ex-mayor? No, it has to be a set up, otherwise, they wouldn't have let him run for office, right?...."
Why would it be unlikely? Well, on a sheer logistical level, if you are going to carry out a "secret" mission, you need to have the least number of people involved. Whereas, here, cross Atlantic, you would need to have quite a few people involved in such a trap. That no one has as yet come forward to talk is surprising. Also, if we take the risk of being found out, the political and social repercussions are much too great. There would be a general uprising, diplomatic faux pas (after all, this was carried out on US territory, even though the US may be a part of quite a few missions overseas, that another country would dare carry out something of this scale on their territory would not be appreciated) and of course, the long-term loss of voters and supporters for the party/person who came up with this.
Too many risks, too great losses for one single man.
So, we come to the theory of a consensual encounter that may have turned sour, or one in which the victim may be running after gain of some kind. In either scenario, it seems unlikely, and this going beyond the apparent physical evidence, but once again, the losses that are at risk are too great. This is not a star or a hollywood actor. Much like Arnold Schwarzenegger and his situation, the best thing is to not avoid the real question or situation at hand, it is always better for a politician to be up-right honest about it. Handling fallout becomes much easier.
DSK maintains that he refutes all allegations and accusations against him.
Thus, the "thunderbolt" that has shaken the political circles of France and the common person, is or is not fact.
But let us go beyond speculation, because this is not the subject at hand.
What needs to be addressed is the image that women have in France. How they are considered, the weight of their thoughts and words, their place and role in French society. Mostly underestimated and silent, there needs to be change and a shift in the perceptions that harken back to old habits and culture. The perception of sexual conduct must be changed as well. Paris is classed as one of the most dangerous cities in the world, with one of the highest rates of rape and sexual assault. Victims are mostly seen as being guilty, not because of what they have been through, but because of who they are. There is notoriously little help and support given to victims and most must submit humiliating interrogations and confrontations with their attackers.
Most of all, French society must stop trying to uphold an appearance and framework of "everything is always fine and perfect in this country". I remember clearly someone very close to me, remarking to me how very anglo-saxon and how very un-French I can be, when I answer to the famous question,
"Comment ça va?" - "How are you?"
"Pas très bien." - "Not too well."
Simply because the only and accepted answer to this in French is,
"Bien." - "Fine."
Most people in France consider that divorce, sexual misconduct, even bad weather, is a taboo subject. It is, but because most French people live their lives with the conviction that everything is fine, and not the certitude that everything is fine.
It is about time that everyone open their eyes, and have the courage, much like the victim of DSK, to stand up and honestly that, no, everything is NOT fine. After all, if we are being run by lotharios, sex addicts, polygamists, I think that the country and certainly, the political horizon needs to change. And this goes for the "old guard" of French politics, who still have not let in any "new blood" for over 20 years now.
Hopefully, this is the beginning of the end of French society and politics as we know it.
*I will not cite sources or names of fellow journalists, for reasons of copyright.