Trigger warning: this article contains discussion about sexual assault and rape
Time and time again, women have had to fight for the basic necessities that they need to succeed and live in this world. We march in protests, sign petitions, and advocate for reform, just to turn around and see something so horrifying and sickening that it feels like nothing has actually changed. This is exactly how it felt waking up last week and seeing the news story about the alleged gang rape committed by seven members of a fraternity at Cornell University.
What Happened:
In October of 2024, a female student at Cornell was expecting to have a normal night out, as all college girls do. After going to a bar with members of her sorority, Jane Doe (named so to maintain her privacy) went to the Chi Phi fraternity house alone to meet a friend. She was intoxicated when she arrived at the house, and was then further pushed by multiple men to take substances until she was “completely incapacitated,” and the various men then sexually assaulted her. Throughout the night, a group chat with more than 50 members of the Chi Phi fraternity exchanged messages, including photos of Jane Doe, and vulgar invitations to join the assault that was happening in the house. Members of the fraternity not only saw these explicit messages saying there was an unconscious woman in danger, but actively chose to do nothing. In total, seven men were involved in the violent assault against Jane Doe.
After the Attack:
Over two weeks after the incident, Jane Doe went to the Ithaca police department to report the assault, where she detailed the event, exclaiming “I can say with 100% confidence I was raped,” and made claims of being “physically hit very, very hard.” The seven men named in the lawsuit were temporarily suspended as Cornell began an internal investigation, but no criminal charges were filed. Two of the men were expelled; two were suspended; two found not responsible; and one had graduated before any punishment could be bestowed. The additional punishment for those involved was to write an essay on their actions.
Left disturbed and out of options, Jane Doe dropped out of Cornell.
How the Justice System Failed Jane Doe:
On September 16th, 2026, nearly 2 years after the attack, Jane Doe filed a civil lawsuit against the seven former fraternity brothers, Cornell University, and the Chi Phi fraternity. On September 28th, District Attorney Matthew Van Houten reopened the criminal investigation after attesting that there were no charges in 2024 because there was not enough evidence, outrightly questioning Jane Doe’s credibility. He said he never saw the transcript of Jane Doe’s interview where she said she was “100%” raped, and that if he had, he would have pursued it further. Instead, he relied on the evidence procured from Cornell’s internal case investigators, who were not properly trained in interviewing assault victims. Because of this failure within the district and the justice system, Jane Doe has lived two years without reparation, closure, and the peace of mind that the men who assaulted her will face rightful consequences.
Not only did the police and judicial system fail her as a human, but Cornell failed her as a student. One of the top universities in America, Cornell has an obligation to provide not only superior education to its students, but also dependability. The fact that they failed to hold the accused men accountable is sickening, furthered by the fact that their ‘punishment’ was to write an essay. This false reprimanding completely dismisses the severity of the assault, insinuating that their actions are akin to cheating on a test or getting a detention, situations which are excusable within the span of a five paragraph apology. In reality, no amount of words will ever convey the despair this situation has caused not only the victim, but women across the world.
What Needs to Change
This case has sparked public outrage by women across the globe, and rightfully so. While girls are taught from a young age to cover their drinks at parties, not dress provocatively, and not walk alone, men have their actions excused on account for ‘boys being boys.’ The culture in which we discuss and deal with rape and assault needs to be completely reworked. Women should not have to be terrified of coming out with their own stories in fear of not being believed, and they should not have to make their story public in order to find justice. Instead, they need to feel supported and assured that they have the space and autonomy to share their experiences, privately and publicly, and more importantly, that justice will be served to those who assaulted them.
Instead of teaching young women to protect themselves, more needs to be done to educate young men about the severity and consequences behind rape and assault, as well as how common it is. While all women know how large of an issue sexual assault is, there is still a large stereotype among the rest of society that assault only happens in dark alleys and sketchy neighbourhoods. The fact that this particular case happened at one of the most prestigious American universities proves that sexual assault is unfortunately an incredibly common incident that can happen anywhere.
By exposing the systemic disadvantages survivors face in the pursuit of justice, this case brings critical attention to the pervasive reality of sexual violence. As its public reach expands day by day, the message is reinforced that all women are Jane Doe until no woman is Jane Doe.