DSK Rape Accuser A Bad Lady So Raping Her No Longer Counts As Much
One of our best and most freedom-loving American rules says that rape is only a crime when it happens to good people. And since it apparently turns out that the hotel housekeeper who accused noted sleazeball Dominique Strauss-Kahn of raping her is one of the Bad People, a judge freed the former IMF chief from house arrest without bail today. "She hangs out with drug dealers" was the reasoning, or whatever it is that makes poor immigrants horrible monsters worthy of the abuse of the powerful.
From Politico:
[Prosecutors] also found disturbing ties linking [the accuser] to people involved in drug dealing and money laundering. Within a day of the alleged assault, she had a phone conversation — which was recorded — with a prisoner and discussed the possible benefits of pursuing charges against Strauss-Kahn. The man had been arrested on charges of possessing 400 pounds of marijuana and is one of a number of people who have made cash deposits totaling $100,000 into the woman’s bank account in the past few years.
The woman still insists that she was assaulted by Strauss-Kahn and her lawyer told the AP that she is prepared to testify despite a “smear campaign” against her.
Le Monde also put together this compendium of New York Post headlines about the story, which includes such wonders as "Booty Gaul," "French Whine," "Frog Legs It," and "Chez Perv." Click on it and go pretend you read French. [ Politico / Le Monde ]
Like the trifecta of being fucked. And getting fucked nonconsensually, as the case may be.
I guess the thing is, I don't know what happened in that hotel and I'll never get to see the unfiltered evidence...do I believe this guy is probably a misogynist asshole, yeah; do I recognize that chicks use sex (and allegations of the unwanted variety) as a weapon, absolutely. And it disgusts me, because every allegation that turns out to be false undermines a real victim's credibility by default. Especially in a situation like this where the alleged victim is going to be scrutinized because of the possibility of financial or other person gain as a motivation. That said, much like even the paranoid have enemies, even those of allegedly unsavory character can be victims of crime. Revelations of shady aquaintainces do not constitute prima facie evidence to support rescission of previously imposed restrictions (and, really, Penthouse-arrest, c'mon) that were presumably imposed after thoughtful consideration (here, I also concede that I probably don't actually have all the details of the evidence precipitating his release). I know, I'm living in a land of unicorns and lollipops to think all the evidence should be amassed and a fair day in court be had.