05/10/2026
A woman should never have to fight this hard to be believed.
The case involving seven Cornell University fraternity members, now widely referred to as the "Cornell 7," has once again brought sexual assault and institutional accountability into the spotlight.
A former Cornell student, identified as Jane Doe, alleges that she was sexually assaulted by multiple men at a fraternity house in 2024 while intoxicated and after being pressured to consume drugs. She reported to the school and her abusers were made to write essays as punishment!
She later filed a civil lawsuit, and the criminal investigation has now been reopened. The allegations are being investigated, and the accused have denied wrongdoing.
But beyond this particular case is a bigger question:
How do we protect women and girls from sexual violence, and what happens when they report it?
Sexual assault is never the fault of the survivor.
Not because she drank.
Not because she went to a party.
Not because she knew the person.
Not because she initially struggled to understand or explain what happened.
Not because she froze, went silent or took time before reporting.
Consent must be freely given, informed and ongoing.
And protecting women and girls requires more than telling them how to stay safe.
We must also teach boys and men about consent and accountability.
We must challenge cultures that normalise sexual entitlement.
We must create safe and accessible reporting systems.
We must ensure that survivors are treated with dignity, not suspicion.
Institutions must respond to reports of sexual violence with seriousness, transparency and care.
Women and girls deserve to be safe before, during and after an assault is reported.
At Girls Inspired Development Network, we believe every girl and woman deserves to live, learn, work and move through the world without fear of sexual violence.
Protect women. Protect girls. Believe survivors. Demand accountability. Build safer systems.
