On October 19th, 2024, A student at Cornell University, we’ll call her Jane Doe, was sexually assaulted for hours on end. She was pressured into taking Ketamine and was taken advantage of in a state where she could not give consent. One of the rapists texted in a “Chi Phi Actives” fraternity group chat that there was “Free p***y,” advertising Doe like she was merely an object, and amassing seven men who joined to assault her. It is now October 2026, and this case has only just now been considered for a criminal investigation (“Cornell Rape Case”).
Two years Without answers
Getting taken advantage of like this is any woman’s worst nightmare, especially those in college. So why is this horrific case just now being reopened two years later? It’s thanks to the work of student journalists at Cornell.
Following the initial report to the university police, the fraternity chapter was banned, and some students faced repercussions ranging from temporary suspensions to essays. It was just recently that some of the accused were fired after public outrage. In fact, the alleged rapists are being referred to online as the catchy nickname “The Cornell 7,” overshadowing their horrid actions. The lapse in punishment certainly wasn’t due to a lack of effort from Jane Doe. She detailed her rape accusation in an interview with the police, which is still unreleased to the public, saying, “I can say with 100% confidence I was raped.” She also signed a police statement, collected whatever evidence she could, and was the center of a lengthy hearing process that ended without criminal charges. Doe was mentally destroyed by her experience and ended up leaving the university.
Now, there is a shred of hope for her and the 1 in 5 women who are raped or attempted raped in their lifetime (Walters). The Cornell Daily Sun, the university’s independent student newspaper, carefully followed the case over the years and released an article on September 18th just after Doe filed another complaint. Finally, the situation is getting the national recognition it deserves, and finally, the case is being reopened for criminal investigation (though the case’s status is changing by the hour at the time of writing).
As Relevant As Ever
Although journalism has become an extremely difficult field to pursue as a career, with budget cuts and a decreasing focus on reporting in the media industry, students are as idealistic as ever, and it is imperative that student journalism continue. Students are different from professional journalists; they almost never get paid. Students can operate free from the pressure to cover profitable stories and instead can write what matters to them, and they do.
Even if you’re not planning to be a journalist, there are countless benefits of reporting, including developing important career skills and, most importantly, keeping justice for students in our own hands.
Read the Cornell Daily Sun article here: https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2026/09/tccsuykuvb4z
Sources
“Cornell Rape Case Timeline.” CNN, 3 Oct. 2026, https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/03/us/cornell-rape-case-timeline-hnk.
Walters, M.L., Chen J., & Breiding, M.J. (2013). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Findings on Victimization by Sexual Orientation. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.