Lily Huynh/The Cougar
Last month, a former Cornell University student filed a lawsuit against the school, alleging that she was drugged and raped by seven members of the Chi Pi fraternity over a period of several hours in October of 2024.
Following the assault, the unnamed ‘Jane Doe’ withdrew from Cornell; two of the involved men were expelled and the other five were suspended and allegedly offered the opportunity to mitigate punishment by writing essays.
Sexual assault on college campuses
Though this incident has been covered extensively by the media, it’s essential to remember that rape and sexual assault of college students, especially female students, have been glossed over for decades as a typical feature of “Greek life.”
One in 5 women and one in 16 men experience some form of sexual assault in college.
Research has found that men belonging to fraternities show a 62% higher likelihood of sexual aggression during their first two years after joining.
The commonality of sexual violence on college campuses has led to it being decriminalized.
These cases are taken lightly in the hope of protecting the futures of perpetrators who “made a mistake.”Despite the existence of campus sexual assault task forces, rapists who happen to be college students often avoid legal repercussions for their actions. This further reinforces the idea that they can do as they wish with little consequence.
Women deserve better
Women are told their entire lives how they can avoid being sexually assaulted: how to defend themselves, who to surround themselves with and what to wear. This places the burden of sexual violence on them for not taking measures to prevent it. Meanwhile, this responsibility is seldom placed on the perpetrator and victims suffer the emotional and physical brunt of it.
One of the men in the Cornell case allegedly sent a message in the fraternity’s group chat, suggesting that a woman was available for sex, advertising “free p*ssy”. Another member replied later that night asking, “Shop still open?”
When these men looked at Jane Doe, they did not see a human being; they saw an object for their own pleasure and amusement. Taking something that does not belong to you does not make it “free.”
As a female college student, I am afraid for myself. I am afraid for my friends. I am afraid for every woman out there who has ever been or sadly will ever be sexually assaulted — and there will be more.
Interacting with Greek life no longer feels like a release from everyday stress and pressure, but a constant reminder of the risk of sexual violence and the dangers we could face while simply trying to enjoy the college experience. Every interaction, every passerby that strikes up a conversation feels like it could take a turn for the worse at any moment.
Jane Doe’s bravery leaves an impact
As this story gets attention on social media, it is important to remember that the only reason this has gained so much traction is that the case was reopened two years later.
The bravery and perseverance of Jane Doe and student journalists at the Cornell Sun have led to the exposure of the neglect of sexual assault victims in college.
There are millions of college students, including women, who have suffered at the hands of perpetrators of sexual violence. Their stories have not been told, nor have they received justice for the trauma they’ve endured.
Universities need to do better to proactively stop acts of violence like these and monitor the behavior of Greek organizations more closely. There is no point to a task force that protects the lives of the guilty and disregards that of the innocent.
Colleges need to stop protecting the futures of men who have destroyed the futures of women.
As The Cornell Sun said best, “To Matthew Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar: We know who you are and we refuse to let you benefit from this university’s concealment.”
opinion@thedailycougar
