DSK and French Sexual Politics

If former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is found guilty, his sexual assault case could have an impact on French culture vis-à-vis relations between men and women, The New York Times has found in speaking with women in France. Amid the issues stirred up by DSK’s arrest last month some women already are raising their voices about the need for changes in gender relations. –KA

The New York Times:

The case has also sharpened the debate here about a French way of life, one of tolerance for a male-centric attitude in gender relations, an acceptance of all but the most egregious sexual assaults on women and a reluctance by the authorities to intervene, particularly in cases involving the powerful.

“This is a key moment, a watershed moment,” said Anne-Elisabeth Moutet, an analyst of French politics and culture. Women from across the political spectrum “have extremely unpleasant stories to tell, that men think women are all up for grabs, literally and figuratively,” she said. France is “a difficult country to budge,” she added. “But it’s an important step. Women are emboldened.”

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