New York rally backs plaintiff in Cornell University assault lawsuit
Hundreds of people gathered outside a Manhattan courthouse on October 8 to demand stronger action against sexual violence. The protest followed a civil lawsuit by a Cornell University student using the pseudonym Jane Doe.
The rally formed part of the campaign #StopSexualViolence: From the Frat House to the White House. Protesters displayed signs supporting the plaintiff and opposing a culture that excuses violence. Related demonstrations were scheduled in Washington, Philadelphia, Boston, Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
In a lawsuit filed in September, Doe alleges that Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted her in October 2024 while she was incapacitated after consuming alcohol and drugs. She was 20 at the time. The defendants include seven fraternity members, the fraternity, a local bar, her sorority and the university.
Doe accuses Cornell of an inadequate investigation and lenient disciplinary measures. The suit specifically challenges opportunities for some students to reduce their penalties by writing essays. The men named in the lawsuit deny wrongdoing. Some describe the contact as consensual, while others deny participating.
The local prosecutor initially declined to file criminal charges, but the investigation reopened after the civil suit. Governor Kathy Hochul appointed the state's attorney general as special prosecutor. Cornell hired former senior Justice Department official Sally Yates to conduct an independent review of its response.
Cornell defends the steps it took and says it closed its Chi Phi chapter and imposed discipline, including some expulsions. Thousands of students, faculty and activists marched through the Ithaca campus on Monday. Women have also posted #IamJaneDoe in solidarity online while the plaintiff continues to use a pseudonym.
