Cornell University students have staged a protest in solidarity with Jane Doe, a former classmate whose gang-rape allegations have sparked a national uproar. Demonstrators called on the school to take firmer action against sexual violence on campus and demanded an external inquiry into how the administration has handled the matter.
Allegations and lawsuit
In a civil lawsuit filed last month, Jane Doe alleged she was given drugs and alcohol and then sexually assaulted by several members of the campus chapter of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024, after she had become incapacitated. The lawsuit names seven Chi Phi members as defendants, along with the fraternity chapter, a local bar, her own sorority, and the university.
University response and denials
Cornell, which has defended its response to the original report, shut down the Chi Phi chapter and imposed a range of discipline on the fraternity members involved, including expulsions and other sanctions. The men have all denied any wrongdoing, and none have been charged with a crime.
