French Writer To File Sex Assault Charges Against Dominique Strauss-Kahn

Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s problems may not be over.

A lady writer in France, Tristane Banon, will file a lawsuit charging the former IMF chief with attempting to rape her, according to her lawyer, by way of Reuters.

Attorney David Koubbi said the suit involves an incident in 2002 when Banon went to interview Strauss-Kahn in an apartment in Paris. She reportedly kept the incident quiet until 2007 when she discussed it on a TV talk show – although Strauss-Kahn’s name was bleeped out during the broadcast.

In France, the statute of limitation on rape charges is ten years.

Last week, Strauss-Kahn was released from house arrest in New York City after questions were raised about the hotel chambermaid who accused him of sexually assaulting her in May.

Just after Strauss-Kahn’s arrest, Banon had told French media about the alleged assault upon her nine years ago. She said that he was so forceful with her during the ill-fated interview that she had to physically fight him off.

Indeed, during that 2007 TV appearance, Banon stated: It ended really badly. We ended up fighting. It finished really violently. We fought on the floor. It wasn't a case of a couple of slaps. I kicked him, he unhooked my bra; he tried to open my jeans.

She added: I said the word 'rape' to scare him but it didn't seem to scare him much, which suggests he was used to it.

In an interesting twist, Banon’s mother, Anne Mansouret, is herself a politician and a member of Strauss-Kahn's Socialist Party, She had reportedly advised her daughter not to press the matter at the time.

Moreover, Banon is the god-daughter of Dominique Strauss-Kahn's second wife Brigitte Guillemette.