Sexual harassment: the French finally pay attention

I admit I've been following the déroulement of all the sex scandals as if it was a royal wedding or something. 

The majority of French people still seem to think that DSK was railroaded--  it was just too convenient for too many people for DSK to be out of the picture. The evidence crawling out of the woodwork, though, is showing that DSK was capable of sabotaging himself, at least when not in France. In France, he was perfectly safe, and he knew it. 

But it's a strange thing how trends work in France. Many things here become fashionable only after the Americans have started the fashion. Offhand I can think of: blue jeans, living in former industrial spaces, and the riots of 1968. Sometimes this is a good thing; but there are certainly American trends I would not like to see arrive in France, like Crocs, obesity and tasteless tomatoes. But as for sexual harassment being treated seriously, most Frenchwomen, I suspect, think it's about time. 

Le Nouvel Observateur: The France of the Machos

L'Express: Politicians: Why sex makes them go crazy

Marianne: Affair of DSK: Sex, money and arrogance. Why powerful men think they can get away with anything (and everything)

 

Comments

[Issa Galvan]

I left for France a day after the whole DSK controversy started. I knew nothing about it until people kept asking for my opinion on the issue. I couldn't help to think about how America never fails to be the first one on the case about sexual harassment no matter who the person might be or where they are from. Other than that I Couldn't help but think of Kobe Bryant from the Lakers as well. We had a guest speaker in our class (in France) the other day and one of his main questions was how we felt about the whole situation happening. Someone started to talk about how America might see it as more of an issue because France tends to keep politics' personal and public life separate. I believe that DSK would have been safer in France, and his reputation would not have been so corrupted before running for president and because it did happen in the US I believe that's why so much hype has been made out of it. Even though the french might keep personal and public life separate, this whole controversy in the U.S just made it so hard for them not to link them together. What do you think about the whole keeping personal and political life separate when one is running for office? I think when electing someone all the persons actions should be considered.