| Counting coup is the term describing a practice of the Plains Indians to show their power over an enemy. A warrior, for example, might touch an enemy with his hand in a battle or sneak into an enemy camp and steal a horse or weapons. Escaping unharmed entitled the warrior to some honorific such as wearing an eagle feather or marking a “coup stick.” Some of Donald Trump’s sexual assaults, such as that with Summer Zervos, appear to have been intended as preludes to sexual encounters. Zervos had approached Trump a year after being a contestant on The Apprentice to see there were job opportunities for her; but Trump instead stunned her with open mouth kisses, fondling her breasts, and thrusting his body on hers. Other sexual assaults seem to have been Trump’s own nasty way of counting coup. The incident with Kristin Anderson in which he touched her vagina through her underwear, without knowing her or even speaking to her seemed to have been of this type. |
| Both types of sexual assault indicate Trump’s total objectification of women. Counting coup, however, provides even more of a window into Trump’s character. It shows that he regards women as enemies whose main purpose is as objects over whom to maintain power. Given Trump’s low regard for women, Hillary Clinton expected victory over him would represent a severe blow to his fragile and carefully constructed self-esteem. Before the election, he can be expected to anything to win. And, after an election loss to Hillary, he will undoubtedly do everything restore his shattered self-esteem. |