10/08/2026
A message from ICASA’s Chief Executive Officer, Carrie Ward, regarding the Cornell 7 case:
Unfortunately, questioning the actions and motives of survivors of sexual violence is not new.
Some people just “cannot imagine” making the same choices as someone who becomes a victim of sexual assault. Because they think choices like whether to attend a party (and with whom), to consume alcohol or other drugs among friends and acquaintances (or even strangers), to hug, kiss or be intimate with someone are all factors in whether you might be sexually assaulted.
The Cornell 7 case has brought many of these thoughts and feelings to the surface of America’s conscience.
None of us wants to experience or witness sexual violence. It is easier to pretend it doesn’t happen, shouldn’t happen, or is at least avoidable if we “make good choices.”
But that is not the world we live in. That is not the world the Cornell University survivor lives in.
Sexual violence happens. Not because of what people wear, what substances they consume, where they choose to go, or what time they come home at night.
Sexual violence is about power and control. It results from the imbalances of power in our society. It is absolutely critical that we hold offenders accountable for their choice to commit sexual violence and institutions accountable for their failure to protect survivors. It is essential that we recognize the important role of bystanders who witness abuse.
Coming forward to disclose sexual violence in a society that is quick to judge victims and excuse offenders takes courage. No one is immune to sexual violence, and everyone knows someone who has experienced sexual violence.
ICASA stands with the Cornell r**e survivor and admires her bravery, tenacity, and resolve despite enduring unimaginable trauma. ICASA commends New York State’s appointment of a special counsel to reopen the criminal case against the young men accused of sexual assaulting her. According to reporting, the internal investigation completed by Cornell University and the subsequent suspension and homework assigned to the men appear to reflect appallingly minimal consequences for egregious behaviors.
It’s not just Cornell. A young woman at Louisiana State University (LSU) filed a Title IX complaint against a fellow student, an LSU football player, for sexually assaulting her last fall. After initially suspending him for two semesters, an appeals process reduced the penalty to four semesters of probation and permitted him to return to campus and to play football. This follows reporting that the accused admitted he did not specifically ask for the woman’s consent before they had in*******se and “did not stop when he later asked and she was silent,” according to the Title IX filings.
This is how r**e culture thrives – little to no accountability for acts of violence.
As a civilized society, it should not only be reasonably expected that we do not commit violence, but that we do not condone or support violence either. Simply not joining in is not enough.
Public reporting on the Cornell case notes that over 50 people were notified of an incapacitated woman on campus prompting some recipients to show up for the purpose of ra**ng her. ICASA calls upon bystanders to intervene when witnessing violence. Tell someone. Ask for help. Call the police. Do something. Because doing nothing also contributes to the perpetuation of r**e culture. We must all heed the call to do more. To believe and support survivors. To help end r**e culture.
ICASA center services are free and confidential. Each center provides a 24-hour crisis response with trained advocates ready to assist on the crisis hotline and at the hospital. For more information regarding services available in your Illinois community, visit ICASA’s website at www.icasa.org.
On the legislative front, ICASA is actively working with Illinois legislators to pass HB4990 in the Illinois General Assembly’s Fall 2026 Veto Session. HB4990 is an amendment to the Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act that would increase supportive measures and enforcement of the Act, strengthen anti-retaliation protections, ensure confidentiality, allow access to both a support person and a complaint advisor, and address sexual harassment and new technology. Passing HB4990 is one tangible way to increase accountability for higher education institutions and provide added protections for survivors.
I know it can be overwhelming. But survivors need support now more than ever. Don’t look away. Speak out. Demand accountability. Stand with survivors.
