OPINION: How Cornell University Failed Rape Victims Everywhere
By: Salisa Wellenreuther, Skyline Reporter
ALPINE – The facts of this case remain unclear as the lawsuit is still in progress, but the allegations are as follows. In October of 2024, seven members of Cornell University’s Chi Phi Xi fraternity drugged, abused, and gang-raped a young woman for several hours in their fraternity house. The victim filed a report on Nov. 8 of that same year. She later filed a lawsuit in 2026, claiming that the university failed her and the perpetrators were not adequately punished.
Unfortunately, her claims about the university’s negligence appeared true, as word spread about the event following a lawsuit filed by the victim. Jane Doe had arrived at the frat house to have a friendly hangout with Matthew Ingalls, who supplied her with alcohol, marijuana, and ketamine. While Jane Doe was intoxicated, she claims he proceeded to rape her. To add to the horror, Ingalls sent a message to his fraternity brothers through Snapchat, inviting them to participate in the act. The fraternity group-chat messages from that night have since been made public. Matthew Ingalls, Winston Lee, Johnathan Newell, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris, and Scott Kretschmar took turns raping Jane Doe over the ensuing five hours.
Disclaimer: As a young woman on a college campus who is no stranger to violence, harassment, and threats by men, this issue is extremely personal to me. Not only to me, but to every victim of sexual violence.
The outrage in this case stems from the lack of punishment dealt to the rapists, dubbed the Cornell seven. According to reports, only two members were expelled from the university while the others received only minor suspensions, workshops, and were tasked with writing essays. No perpetrators were arrested for their crimes. It is a gross understatement to say that these “punishments” are a sorry excuse for discipline, and Cornell University has failed not only the victim in this attack, but victims everywhere.
There is some speculation and discourse about whether or not the event took place, making the case a perfect example of why many victims do not come forward. About 20% of rapes are reported to police and even fewer than that end in justice for the victim. Not to mention the fact that there is a deep amount of shame and embarrassment that unfortunately comes with being raped. The victim’s life was ruined by the horrific abuse she suffered, and she has since left the university that failed her. In this case, Jane Doe did report it, but did not receive justice, resulting in the ensuing lawsuit.
The epidemic of victim blaming surrounds this case severely. Speculators say that since Jane Doe turned up at the house already inebriated and under the legal drinking age, she was responsible for what happened to her. This kind of thinking is part of the reason victims do not come forward. Clothing, substances, age, or occupation are not an invitation for sex and consent can be withdrawn at any given time. Even if the victim originally consented to sex, if at any time consent was revoked and the partner continues, a rape has occurred. Victims often do not realize what they experienced was rape at the time of the event, but eventually do days, months, and even years later, as Jane Doe did in this case.
It is also not just the fault of the Cornell seven for what happened to Jane Doe. Since the other members of the fraternity were told about an inebriated woman being advertised for “free pussy” in the fraternity’s Snapchat group, every single member in that house is responsible for the events of that night. By standing idly by and not reporting or even checking on Jane Doe, they showed complacency for what occurred. A man who allows a woman to be raped is equally as guilty as the rapist himself.
Unsurprisingly, President Donald Trump, a convicted felon and accused rapist, expressed his condolences for the seven accused. Trump expressed his distaste for New York Attorney General Letitia James, who has been assigned to the case, and stated he “feels badly for whoever she’s looking at because they won’t get a fair shake.” Trump, of course, did not express his sympathies for the survivor. The President of the United States, who has at least 28 accusations against him and has been recorded confessing to sexually harassing numerous women of course sympathizes with perpetrators rather than victims. The excuse of “locker room talk” and “boys will be boys” does not end on playgrounds but rather extends all the way to the White House, so to hear that Cornell University did not do their student justice is, unfortunately, not surprising.
Cornell University has shown the world that they do not care for rape victims and that any victim of rape, not just women, cannot trust their university to set aside image for their well-being. Students on any college campus should feel safe and be able to reach out to the university they’ve dedicated themselves to without fear of being ignored. Being barred from the university, writing “reflection papers”, and measly probations cannot even come close to the pain, embarrassment, and trauma Jane Doe will live with for the rest of her life.