Money, Sex & Power: A Dangerous Combination That Takes Rich Men Down & Halts Careers

Money, sex and power is a dangerous combination that brings powerful men to their knees and halts careers at the expense of powerless women.

Guest Commentary: Money, Sex & Power 

by Harriet Cammock

It seems to me that many famous men have fallen victim to the effects of money, power, and sex. I want to examine the relationship men have with power and sex. The reports of IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn raping a New York City hotel maid are alarming. As I read the reports I noted her reluctance in describing to police the details of the attack. But what I find more intriguing is the correlation between powerful men and sex. In this case Strauss-Kahn (who is used to an environment in which he is in total control), forced himself on the maid.

In France he is referred to as The Great Seducer. He didn't attempt to seduce the woman; he forced himself. Maybe he felt his position of power guaranteed him freedom from prosecution in this country. He probably felt no one would believe her, after all she is just a maid; I am the one who brings world financial markets to their feet. In fact the Chancellor of Germany was scheduled to meet with him Sunday to discuss Greece's financial woes. Man, the Greeks must be rejoicing right now. But what is it about sex that incites men of power to forget their positions and risk loosing everything for (let's face it) 30 seconds of "hooray"?

Is it the complete feeling of dominance? Is it a testosterone rush? Is it the thought that not only do I dominate in the boardroom, but I am in control in every area of my life? What makes a powerful man unable to keep his zipper zipped? I don't know the answer to that as I fall into the category of being female. I imagine from a man's point of view, he enjoys the rush that comes with compelling a defenseless person to do his will.

Maybe Strauss-Kahn forgot he was in the USA. This is after all the country of Monica Lewinsky (another woman who brought down a powerful man, except, with all due respect to Monica, it was consensual; not that this excuses the behavior, but you get what I mean).

I have always said sex in the workplace is about dominance and power. The hotel room where this happened was the workplace of the victim. Strauss-Kahn, a paying guest, abused his power by imposing his will and desires on the powerless victim who does not enjoy the same privileges as he does. In this regard he is guilty. He should not have taken advantage of her powerlessness. He used his position of power, social position, and leadership in financial circles as a tool to get whatever he wanted from an unsuspecting woman. And, to add insult to injury, when he was finished, he cast her away by running to Air France to enjoy a first class flight back to his home country.

We cannot allow him to get away as other men of other nationalities will think it's perfectly okay to come to our country and disrespect our women, then, afer they're done, grab the next flight back to their country and hide behind diplomatic positions and be excused from serving the prison sentence their crime deserves.

So many women have been used by powerful men and have refused to come forward for fear of recrimination, and though the shame they feel is based on the humiliation they suffered at the hands of the abuser,and nothing they brought on themselves, they are afraid to report incidents like these.

Whenever a man abuses his position of power and imposes his sexual desires on the women beneath him, he becomes a man who has lost his ability to distinguish right from wrong. The lesson here being not because you can means you should. These men invariably are married to women who provide them with undying support. These individuals often display different personalities. The personality who abuses his power in the workplace is different from the loving caring husband who receives his wife's undying, unending support.

I feel sorry for the victim in this story. I reach out to her as she faces an uphill battle in court. Not only was she violated in her place of work, but her character and every detail of her life is about to be made public as Strauss-Kahn seeks to redeem himself by removing the burden of shame from himself to her. I pray for her courage as she repeats her story over and over and that as time goes by the memory of the trauma will fade.

To women who have had to compromise their dignity and self respect to power hungry men, I say to you this your story. Tell it, write about it, email and literally bombard the blogosphere with your own version of events.

Read more riveting commentaries from Harriet Cammock, a tireless advocate for women's rights:  http://harrietcammock.blogspot.com/2011/05/money-power-and-sex.html and at www.harrietcammock.org.