Olivia Rodrigo Speaks on Cornell Sexual Assault Case: “I Stand with Jane Doe”

Olivia Rodrigo shared some harsh words for Cornell University and lent her support to a woman in the midst of a high-profile lawsuit and investigation connected to the school and a fraternity involving allegations of drugging and sexual assault.

“Shame on Cornell and on every institution who protects rapists and abusers over women,” Rodrigo wrote in an Instagram story October 4th. “I stand with Jane Doe. Her bravery reverberates across the country and the crimes against her will not go unpunished. What she lived through matters, and so does the failure of those who could have intervened but chose not to. She deserves answers, consequences, and lasting change.”

The case came to the public’s attention when the woman, identified as “Jane Doe,” filed a lawsuit in September accusing multiple members of Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity of raping her in October 2024. A separate criminal investigation into the allegations is being led by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Rodrigo adds her voice to a growing chorus of musicians, particularly women, speaking out. Recently, Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale voiced her opinion on the matter without mentioning Cornell University specifically, but clearly referring to that case, in a long post on Instagram that, in part, said, “If you are the kind of man who thinks it’s ok to reduce another human being to nothing more than something you can stick your d*ck into… there is something severely wrong with you.”

Rodrigo has been an outspoken supporter of women and LGBTQ+ rights. Daisy Chain Fields, her all-women lineup festival, raised $20 million to support reproductive rights, combat gender-based violence, and more.

Rodrigo is currently on “The Unraveled Tour” and performs at Spectrum Center in Charlotte on October 7th and 8th. The tour continues until February.