Cornell University frat house rape investigation reopened: What we know

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National Headlines September 30

National Headlines September 30

Cornell University is facing a firestorm of controversy after a lawsuit filed this month alleges a student there was gang raped at a fraternity house in 2024.

The individual, identified as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, accuses seven men of raping her over several hours at Chi Phi fraternity house. The lawsuit also includes an alleged screenshot from the night of the incident where a man messaged a group chat saying there was “free p‑‑‑‑ upstairs.” 

The lawsuit has put a national spotlight on the university and investigations that took place in 2024 and how sexual assaults are treated on college campuses. 

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has called for an independent investigation into Cornell’s response to the allegations, and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) has denounced the school’s “culture of rape.”

What happened in October 2024? 

The lawsuit alleges the sexual assault occurred on Oct. 20, 2024, at the Chi Phi fraternity house. 

Jane Doe, who was 20 at the time, says she started drinking at her sorority house and then continued at a bar. The lawsuit said the bar knew she was underage and intoxicated and continued to serve her anyway. 

Later in the night, she went over to Chi Phi to see a friend. When she got to the house, the lawsuit alleges she was pressured into more alcohol, marijuana and ketamine. 

She claims seven men then sexually assaulted her over the next several hours and advertised it in a group Snapchat named “Chi Phi Actives.”

What happened after the alleged attack? 

Jane Doe went to the police on Nov. 8, and criminal........

© The Hill