So, we’re all familiar with the story by now: Dominique Strauss-Kahn, now-former managing director of the IMF, was arrested for the accusations he raped a housekepper in a NYC hotel. The trial was public and messy; and the accusations against both DSK and later the housekeeper in question were dirty and vicious.
The events that unfurled during the July 4 Holiday Weekend were the most disturbing: the case fell apart because of holes in the woman’s story and some suspicious deposits in her bank account, but the media portrayed it as if the rumors that she was a prostitute were enough to undermine the whole case.
Women from all walks of life are raped every day. They do not necessarily have the most perfect backgrounds. And yes, a prostitute can be raped – any non-consensual sex is rape. Women cannot be expected to be believed in a rape case only if they have a perfect family history and are virgins. While Dominique Strauss-Kahn may or may not have gotten off the hook easy – I’m still reading articles to figure out my exact opinion on that one – it’s clear that the portrayal of the woman in this case by the mainstream media could use a lot of work.
