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It's been a strange week for violence against women. First, there was the claim in the New York Post that the hotel housekeeper accusing Dominique Strauss-Kahn of rape was a prostitute. Or a "hooker-maid," as the tabloid so charmingly put it. This doesn't explain why she had bruises and other injuries consistent with evidence of a sexual assault. Or that both sides in the case agree that some sexual encounter happened when she went to clean DKS's $3000-
Bibi Aisha
a-night suite.
But never mind. The housekeeper has now sued. But her case is in jeopardy because she didn't tell the truth on her asylum application or about other details of her impossibly messy life. As a result, she quickly went in the media from being a devout Muslim and simple woman to being a money-laundering hooker with a boyfriend in prison. I'm not saying she doesn't have issues, or that DSK is guilty without a doubt. He should get his day in court after he's done traipsing around Tanglewood with his rich wife Anne Sinclair. But so should the hotel maid. Prosecutors are now fretting that her credibility is shot, but that doesn't mean she wasn't raped.
As for the immigration issue, I couldn't help but think of Jose Antonio Vargas and his essay in the Times' Sunday Magazine revealing his own illegal status and the lies the award-winning journalist told so he could stay in America. He was brave to do so, and many applauded him for speaking out. But knowing her own dark secrets, and what might happen to her if they came out, the Guinean woman was even braver. What did she have to gain by accusing DSK of rape? Very little, as it turns out.
The other thing that happened was the release of the lone suspect arrested for mutilating a young Afghan woman named Aisha. I'm sure you'll remember this. Aisha escaped Afghanistan with the help of Women for Afghan Women after her husband, a Taliban fighter, her father-in-law, and brother-in-law tied her down and cut off her nose and ears with the support of the local Taliban mullah. The story made international headlines when Time magazine ran a cover photo of Aisha illustrating the kind of violence Afghan women can expect if they ditch their husbands. Aisha is recovering in New York, and has yet to have reconstructive surgery because she is still so traumatized by the attack.
Women's rights groups are furious about the man's release. Aisha's father is distressed, too. Here's what he told the New York Times:
"The man they let out, he was Aisha's father-in-law," said Mr. Mohammedzai, his voice cracking as he spoke. "He was there at the time when they chopped off her nose and did the cruelty to her. He was one of the culprits and should have been punished, but the government released him."
You're going to be even more livid when you hear why he was freed. Because Aisha wasn't in Afghanistan to testify against him, and because someone else cut off her nose. He was just there, I suppose, enjoying the show.
