In October 2024, a 20-year-old Cornell student, referred to as Jane Doe, reported being raped by multiple men at a fraternity house. Her account, supported by text messages and documents from an investigation, reveals that she became intoxicated after drinking vodka at a sorority house and continued drinking at bars in Ithaca, New York. Later, she went to the Chi Phi fraternity house, where she initially engaged in consensual sex with two men. However, the situation escalated when a message in the fraternity’s Snapchat group suggested she was available for “free” sex. Jane Doe alleges she was coerced into taking ketamine, rendering her incapacitated, and was subsequently raped by several men. Although no charges were initially filed, the criminal investigation has been reopened, and Jane Doe has filed a civil lawsuit against the fraternity members and the university for failing to protect her.
QUESTION: How might universities improve their policies and support systems to better protect students from similar incidents?
Jane Doe’s account of what happened at Cornell fraternity house
