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Last month, a shocking but recognisable story emerged from Cornell University, reminding us how sexual assault survivors often still battle against bureaucracy and outdated norms to secure justice. A former Cornell University student referred to as Jane Doe has filed a civil lawsuit, alleging that on the 19th October 2024, she was raped for several hours by seven members of the university’s Chi Phi fraternity. The lawsuit involves allegations of sexual assault, battery, negligence, breach of contract and violation of New York’s Human Rights Law. It has been filed against several parties, including the university, the Chi Phi fraternity, and the seven accused men who have become known as the ‘Cornell 7’. Jane Doe has accused the university of failing to both protect her and to punish those involved.
This lawsuit has revealed a need for reform in universities: to create a safer culture for young women and to establish appropriate procedures for reporting incidents. According to ABC News, evidence gathered from the night and the following days reveals disturbing text messages exchanged between the men involved, disclosing a disregard for their actions and any consequences for the survivor. These messages expose the sexism and misogyny that are dangerously prevalent amongst young men today. Unfortunately, while the case is appalling, the actions and attitudes of the men involved are not unprecedented. A 2025 report from England’s higher education regulator, the Office for Students, gathered data from 51,920 final-year undergraduate students about sexual misconduct in English universities. It found that almost a quarter of final-year undergraduates had experienced sexual harassment since they started university, with a seventh having experienced sexual assault or violence.
The Cornell 7 case shows the effects that sexual assault can have on a survivor, and how narratives can be twisted to support perpetrators rather than the survivor. This can encourage a pattern of entitlement, cover-ups and impunity. In the days that followed, some men involved in the alleged assault attempted to escape the consequences of their actions by allegedly gaslighting Jane Doe into believing that the traumatic attack was consensual. Survivors can often experience feelings of shame, humiliation and confusion in the aftermath of assault. This can lead to survivors requiring time to process what has happened and to understand the non-consensual nature of the attack. Offenders can capitalise on this to silence and shame the survivor.
The importance of adequate and judgement-free support for survivors cannot be overstated. In England, 46.7% of students who reported sexual harassment to their university said that the reporting process was good, however 39.3% said that it was poor. Survivors may face lengthy processes, where they are constantly reliving their trauma only for the result to be inadequate.
Fortunately, there have been improvements in English universities in the last two years. The Office for Students has implemented several new policies and specific requirements for universities. These include a need to provide training for staff and students to improve understanding of what constitutes harassment and sexual misconduct, along with a ban on non-disclosure agreements when dealing with cases of harassment or sexual misconduct. These policies are important for holding universities accountable; however, there must also be a shift in attitudes amongst university students.
It is the small acts of misogyny that we do not call out that can help lead to cover-ups and abuse at high levels of leadership within society. Remaining silent in moments of unremarkable misogyny can cultivate a culture of a lack of accountability.
Jane Doe was a young student who was subjected to an alleged attack by men whom she trusted as friends. This alleged attack was joked about in a group chat of close to 60 men, many of whom stayed silent while grotesque messages were shared. What was meant to be the best four years of her life left her with trauma, anxiety and depression. The public outrage many of us feel following this case must be remembered as news outlets move on. Supporting survivors, calling out inappropriate behaviour and fighting for change are vital.
Image: Erik Jaeger, Taken in 2000, Uploaded in 2005//CC BY-NC 2.0
Edited by: Issy Adams
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