TRIGGER WARNING: This article discusses sexual assault and violence. While we don’t discuss explicit details of this case in this article, hyperlinks may lead to news reports with explicit details that could be triggering for some readers. Discretion is advised.
Around 2 a.m. on October 20, 2024, one college student texted 57 of his fraternity brothers in a Snapchat group, advertising his 20-year-old female peer for sexual assault. As a result, 7 men raped this woman. Dozens more were aware the assault was happening and did nothing to stop it.
This is what the survivor, Jane Doe, alleges in a lawsuit against these men, the fraternity, and Cornell University. Doe says she was too intoxicated to consent after consuming 10 drinks in a three hour period prior to going to the frat house. Many of the accused men were also under the influence of alcohol and ketamine, which they allegedly pressured Jane Doe to take as well. When she reported the assault to the school, they conducted their own investigation and issued their own consequences, but none of the accused men were investigated criminally. The district attorney’s office failed to bring a case against any of these men. She’s alleging that the school failed to protect her.
The details described in this case are stomach-turning, but here’s what we can learn from this case and how it showcases the ways all forms of sexual violence are intertwined.
How Pornography Fuels Sexual Violence
When discussing horrific cases of sexual violence such as this one, it’s imperative to discuss the impacts of pornography on our wider culture. In today’s digital landscape, pornography on the Internet has become commonplace; even children can easily access it. In fact, many do not view this as a problem, but rather, a normal part of a child’s sexual development. The problem is that the vast majority of pornography is not a depiction of healthy intimacy.
Rape, physical violence, degrading behaviors (spitting, choking, slapping), and even child sexual abuse are all over mainstream pornography. So, what happens when the consumer – often a child – internalizes what they’re viewing? These dangerous behaviors make their way off the screen and into the physical world, where real people are harmed.
Longitudinal research shows that childhood exposure to violent pornography predicts a nearly six-fold increase in sexually aggressive behavior later in life. Let's talk about it. Share on XLongitudinal research shows that childhood exposure to violent pornography predicts a nearly six-fold increase in self-reported sexually aggressive behavior later in life. A meta-analysis assessing 22 different studies from seven countries around the world found that consumption of pornography was significantly associated with physically or verbally coercing someone into sex acts.
Further, research has found that college students who consume pornography are less likely to intervene when they’re aware that sexual violence is occurring. Could this have been a factor in the Cornell case, where it’s alleged that dozens of men stayed silent as a woman was being gang-raped?
While pornography consumption is not explicitly referenced in the details of the Cornell case, general stats of usage make it highly likely that many of the men involved used pornography. A nationally representative U.S. survey found that 77% of young men ages 18 to 24 actively sought out pornography, with 57% seeking it out at least once a month. Given this, it would be negligent not to address the ways that pornography fuels sexual violence across our culture at large.
Accountability for Abusers and Justice for Survivors
This case has caught public attention partly because of the lack of criminal investigation after the fact. It’s an unfortunately common phenomenon we often see when it comes to violence against women: victims suffer in silence and the perpetrators face few consequences.
When powerful men, like the ones who conspired with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, commit sexual offenses without facing any legal consequences, it sets a precedent that this type of behavior is socially acceptable.
Cornell University conducted its own internal investigation into the assault, which resulted in some of the accused men being expelled, some suspended, and others were reportedly ordered only to complete a training and write a reflection essay. But the harm to Jane Doe will last a lifetime. Wrecked by this trauma, she had to drop out of college, yet many of these men were still awarded an Ivy League degree.
The Role that Boys and Men Play in Ending Sexual Exploitation
Not only were there 7 men accused of raping Jane Doe back in 2024, but there were also 50 other men in a group chat that received a message regarding the assault of Jane Doe. One of the accused rapists even went as far as to send a photo of her in their group chat with explicit reference to the fact that she was available for sex.
While the assault itself is a disturbing allegation, it should not be neglected that there were dozens of other men in that fraternity group chat who knew about their peers’ behavior and did nothing to stop it.
This begs the question about what role men and boys play in ending sexual exploitation.
Not only should we raise men and boys who would never engage in a heinous act like this, we should raise ones who would not stand by silently while harm is happening. This begins by protecting kids from pornography exposure online and discussing the importance of consent and boundaries.
For parents who would like guidance on how to protect their kids online and how to discuss these challenging topics with their kids, watch this episode of the 7-Minute Podcast below or ask the Parent Center AI tool.
