Cornell students stage anti-rape rally in support of ‘Jane Doe’

Demonstrators protest Cornell University's handling of the 2024 fraternity gang rape allegations on the university's campus in Ithaca, New York, on Monday. | Heather Ainsworth / The New York Times

Reuters

Oct 6, 2026

ITHACA, New York – Cornell University students staged a mass rally on Monday voicing solidarity with a classmate whose gang-rape allegations have ignited a national uproar and demanding that the Ivy League school take firmer action against sexual violence on campus.

The protesters called for an external inquiry into how Cornell’s administration has handled the matter, independent hearings and uniform minimum sanctions for all sexual assaults on campus, and better training for campus police in responding to complaints of sexual violence and harassment.

The alleged gang-rape victim, identified by the pseudonym Jane Doe, has said the university failed to adequately investigate and punish campus fraternity members who were involved.

In a time of both misinformation and too much information,
quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.