About Dominique Strauss-Kahn

[updated 5-16-2011]

I wasn't there for the event but the story as related via the media has me very curious. The story, as I understand it, is that Kahn was taking a shower when a maid entered his room. Kahn then came out of the shower completely naked and sexually assaulted the maid. Does this sound strange to anyone else?

I'm not saying that it is not possible that this Kahn fellow believed his own hype so much that he thought he could just randomly attempt to rape a maid in a high end hotel in his room where he is known to be staying. Most criminals try to have some kind of alibi or excuse. A person in his position knowing full well he does not have diplomatic immunity and is not on his home turf makes me think the story just putting himself out there legally is a bit off to me.

I believe that Kahn was expecting a prostitute, a high end one at that. I suppose that he usually requests role playing in which she is supposed to be "shocked" at his naked appearance, show some level of resistance and then succumb to his "manly ways and 'charm'" and end up fucking; in the bathroom makes sense. I will suppose that it is usual for these women to be "let in" by some staff (perhaps even given a key). I think he came out and did his usual 'oh well...hello madamoiselle....". I suppose she did what any actual uninterested maid would do by rebuffing his advances but keeping it "professional". Kahn, not realizing this isn't the prostitute, become more aggressive (and turned on) and when it was too late realized that this was not the prostitute and he was now on the hook for at least sexual assault and probably attempted rape (it will probably get plead down to sexual assault). Realizing the legal issue at hand he hastily dressed and grabbed his particulars and made a rush to the airport before police could arrive and did not expect that he would be unable to get out of the country.

Again, I could be wrong and he could just be the type to think he could just grab up a random maid in a high end hotel, but I know that men of his position use prostitutes on the regular and those prostitutes usually provide men like him with certain fantasies that are not likely to be had at home. The maid scenario makes sense given the apparent power dynamic involved.

Update-

Having recently reviewed the news in regards to earlier history I'm going to put the odds at 60-40 for prostitute expectations to "believing his own hype" I say that for a couple of reasons:

1) The young woman in France said that when Kahn planned on assaulting her he invited her to an empty apartment that only had a bed and a camera. So it is CLEAR that this fellow not only wanted to have sex with that woman but expected to film it. Perhaps then he has a stash somewhere with his previous "exploits".

Furthermore that assault makes sense for someone who knows what he has in mind is illegal. An apartment where there is no chance of people traffic. A place easy to remove evidence. A place where he is not known and, depending on the arrangement, one he could 'deny" being. None of which applies at the Sofitel.

The second thing that is here that underscores my earlier scenario was how the woman said his aggression came in stages, which I am all but certain happened at the Sofitel.

2)UN "Peacekeepers" and other international bodies are known to have been raping African women with impunity. The maid in question is an African (by what I heard this AM) and if this guy believes his own hype could certainly think that "poor African women" are easy prey.

3) It was said this morning that if Kahn had been on IMF business then he would have had diplomatic immunity. That changes things a bit since:

a) he could have believed himself to be on IMF business or like other business people could make it look like he was on IMF business. However the latter is unlikely given the IMF's response to this matter. It could be the case that he forgot he was not under diplomatic immunity when he caught the 'unholy spirit".

b) What then was he doing in NY at a 3k a night hotel without his wife? I understand that she has her own life and business matters, but it goes to underscore what I believe to be normal for men of his position. Was he in NY at a high dollar hotel expecting the services of a high dollar prostitute expected to role play? Does this guy have an MO of soliciting hotel maids?

His lawyer is saying that is client will plead not guilty which is completely expected. Only dumb asses without lawyers plead guilty. The experts are saying that he may either deny the charges or claim it was consensual. The former is unlikely to fly, the latter plays into the "I thought she was a prostitute" angle. Assuming they actually use that as a defense to get from rape to sexual assault. Of course he would have to admit in public that he uses the services of high dollar prostitutes when away on IMF business (or non-business). I'm not clear that he's willing to go there. Then again these charges have already ended his career and political future so aside from his wife (and the possible financial fall out from a divorce) I don't see why he shouldn't admit to that to avoid jail time.