DSK rape accuser Tristane Banon writes book about assault by ‘baboon’

Author’s account of sex attack by man appearing to be Dominique Strauss-Kahn is latest salvo in vitriolic battle of words The French writer who has accused Dominique Strauss-Kahn of attempting to rape her when she went to interview him has written a book in which she appears to refer to him as a “baboon”. Tristane Banon, 32, described the former IMF head as behaving like a “rutting chimpanzee” during the alleged attack at an unfurnished Paris apartment in February 2003. Strauss-Kahn has described the allegations, currently under police investigation, as “imaginary”. Banon’s book, Le Bal des Hypocrites (The Hypocrites’ Ball), described as a 128-page “novelisation” of events in her life, would appear to be the latest salvo in a vitriolic battle of words between the young woman and the veteran politician, once tipped to become the next president of France. Banon does not directly name Strauss-Kahn, but describes a man who lured her to his flat and who she claims she had to fight off as he forced his fingers into her mouth and his hands into her jeans, as the “pig” or “baboon”. Strauss-Kahn, 62, has admitted to police investigating Banon’s claims that he made a pass at Banon and tried to kiss her, but denies any violence. He has lodged a countersuit for defamation. After Strauss-Kahn, once the French Socialist Party’s presidential hope, was arrested and accused of the sexual assault and attempted rape of a New York hotel maid in May, Banon spent several weeks deciding whether to press charges. When the US case against Strauss-Kahn collapsed in August because of doubts about the accuser Nafissatou Diallo’s credibility, she made a formal complaint to the Paris prosecutor. Strauss-Kahn returned to France, but his hopes of leading the country were finished. In her book, an extract of which was published by Paris Match magazine, Banon writes of feeling sick when the man, assumed to be referring to Strauss-Kahn, was being hailed as the next president before his arrest in New York. “It was nine o’clock that Saturday morning and they were talking about the baboon on the television. He is a superhero, a Messiah, saviour … capable of everything. He would revive the country, lower taxes, understand the weakest and bring happiness and calm to each French household. “They showed pictures of him; in action in the four corners of the world. Superman. When I saw him his stare made me freeze, the television screen could not protect me, his smile was only for me it forced its way into my stomach and the image only disappeared when I threw up my lunch. Suddenly his message on my telephone came back to me: “So, I scared you?”. That was eight years ago. “The years have passed, but nothing has completely effaced the memory.” Banon, whose mother, Anne Mansouret is a Socialist politician and god daughter to Strauss-Kahn’s ex-wife, first revealed the alleged attack on a French TV chat show in 2007. “I eventually spoke about it but I was too smiling when I did. I should have cried so that people understood the real ravages it had caused,” she writes. “But alcohol had given my cheeks a rosy tint and, like Molière, I wanted to laugh about what had made me cry inside.” Banon says the show’s other guests had waited until the cameras and microphones were off to say: “We knew, but…” “But what? Nobody must make any waves, and above all not let the public know. Only the elite must know, only those of the elite know how to hold their tongues.” In response to why she had not complained to the police at the time, Banon writes: “Put yourself in my place.” It was widely reported that Banon’s mother had dissuaded her from going to the police telling her she would be known for the rest of her life as “the girl who had a problem with the politician”. Banon wrote that her decision in June to make an official complaint for “attempted rape”, currently under preliminary investigation was “taking the combat to the enemy”. In the book, published on Thursday, she also expresses shock that supporters have abandoned her. “How many promised to give evidence if, in future, they were called to do so? How many assured me of unwavering support? How many, suddenly disappeared the moment they were asked to sign a written declaration, when they had to photocopy their identity card to authenticate the statement?” The Paris prosecutor’s office is currently examining Banon’s accusation of attempted rape against Strauss-Kahn to decide whether there is a case for him to answer. Dominique Strauss-Kahn France Europe Kim Willsher guardian.co.uk

Posted by on October 13, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.