Protecting Our Cyclones

Content Warning: This article discusses rape, sexual assault, and violence against women. 

Many students attend prestigious ivy league schools to gain the absolute best education and opportunity available to them. Many attend these universities engrossed in the academic stressors of completing their course work and managing professional responsibilities. Unlike most students, Jane Doe encountered a much more severe problem than any assignment at Cornell University.

Jane Doe and The Cornell (5)7

A case from Cornell University created a storm across social media and the news. 

In October of 2024, a woman was raped by seven male students. She was allegedly given ketamine, leaving her completely unconscious as members of the Chi Phi fraternity took turns sexually assaulting her. 

She reported the assault three weeks after it happened, but the investigation was denied due to lack of evidence. According to AP News, New York law states “being too drunk or high to consent to sex isn’t necessarily enough to support a rape charge. The law distinguishes that from being physically helpless or incapacitated by drugs administered without consent.”

As more about the case became public, it was discovered that the members of the fraternity had a group chat including 57 men who were all aware of the assault and either participated in the act or remained silent bystanders. They were talking about Jane Doe, making crude comments such as “free p*ssy” when discussing her vulnerable state. 

The media also brought attention to the lack of punishment the seven men are receiving. They were each tasked to write an essay regarding their acts and (as of October 19) have not received further punishment. 

The case was eventually reopened, leading the public to actively discuss the investigation on social media and question Jane Doe’s identity. AP News continued, saying “it was one woman, then another, and another, until a trickle became a flood.” People started posting how they were “Jane Doe” in support of the Cornell case, emphasizing how many people have been a victim of sexual violence. The main focus should not be Jane Doe’s identity but rather how many people are victims of similar circumstances. 

After hearing about Jane Doe’s case and other survivors’ testimonies, it leads us to wonder how sexual violence truly affects college students. 

More Than Just a Statistic

According to Inimai M. Chettiar and Cameron Kimble, research associates for the Brennan Center For Justice, nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. According to the Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network (RAINN), about one-third of the 20% of rapes and sexual assaults that are reported are from college students. In the midst of a raging patriarchy and unproportionate violence towards women, many incidents go unnoticed, unchallenged, and overshadowed. Due to an overwhelming lack of support and solidarity, many sexual assault survivors feel reluctant to voice their tradegy online or to their loved ones in fear of being villainized or outright ignored. Despite this disheartening large percentage, a spark of reform has been lit in recent years. 

In recent decades, anti-rape movements and organizations became the forefront of advocacy, inspiration, and support of victims. For example, in 2004 the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was reestablished, expanding their protections to underrepresented and marginalized communities who are particularly vulnerable to the danger of being sexually assaulted. This event of reauthorization meant that victims of sexual assault have stronger legals tools to protect themselves and individuals who could potentially become victims. 

Centenary Student Testimonies 

After being frightened and/or shunned into silence, how many students on this very campus fall under the radar, being neglected by a system designed against them? 

Below are anonymous testimonies from your acquaintances, classmates, or maybe even your friends, because you never truly know what is swept under the rug and ignored.

“My freshman year at Centenary, I was stalked by someone I previously had a romantic relationship with. He would sit in the parking lot outside of Lackland—which is where I typically parked—and watch me walk into the building. He would park closer and closer each time I saw him, eventually leading me to fear he would try to start a conversation with me. One of the days I saw him, I found a male student I had class with and asked him to walk with me. I haven’t seen my stalker since.”  

“I personally know one of the 57 men who were in the group chat at Cornell and didn’t do anything about the messages regarding free sex. I grew up with him and he is exactly the type of person who knew exactly what he was doing by ignoring that and didn’t care. He was valedictorian for my grade in my hometown and was obviously a Cornell student. He has been enabled to be a piece of sh*t his entire life and literally no one I know from my hometown is surprised to find out he was in that groupchat.” 

“I was walking alone from my car at night and noticed a group of guys were following me and I felt unsafe. I believe security could do a better job at patrolling certain areas on campus that are not well lit or surveillanced, such as standing around the Lackland area. Something needs to be done to help women feel safer."

“I was coerced into sex I didn’t want by a guy I thought was my friend. He refused to listen when I told him no and made me feel like he would try to turn my friends against me if I didn’t give in. He immediately began spinning a story that I wanted it and told it to everyone he could before I even had a chance to process it. I never took any action because I never thought I would be believed and I wanted to avoid being further ostracized over it.”

“There was a cafeteria staff member who liked me, really liked me, even though he had a fiancée. He followed me on Instagram and would message me and hint at asking me out by asking if we can hang outside of the cafeteria. He later got fired from the cafeteria for an unrelated reason and he broke up with his fiancée. He ultimately started messaging me more and more on Instagram, commenting on my stories and telling me that he had a really big crush on me. He said that he didn’t want to ask me out until he was done with his fiancée and that's when I am fortunate.”

Stories like these were not only received from female students pressured into uncomfortable situations by male students, but also female students who were made uncomfortable because of the behavior of other female students.

“There was this girl who was talking to me after work and asked if I was lesbian to which I said no, and she goes ‘I thought you were pretty and I always stare at you while you make my drinks.’”

“One time I was standing in the cafeteria getting food when a girl came up to me and said ‘I just wanted to say that you’re really pretty and I love looking at your Snapchat.’ I did not follow her on Snapchat.”

While this piece focuses on female victims of rape and sexual assault, male students are also survivors. 

“In my freshman year, I was in a relationship which mentally impacted me. During this time, my partner often manipulated and humiliated me in public, all while they spread lies about me and those around us. They also frequently disrespected my boundaries, both during our relationship and after we broke up. Thankfully, I was able to find a support system in my RAs here at Centenary, who were quick to help me resolve my issues. I believe every student on campus should be entitled to reliable help and support, especially in difficult situations. Universities are built on helping each other out; every student deserves to feel safe on campus, and as though their voice matters.”

How Can We Keep Our Cyclones Safe?

Based on experiences shared by Centenary students, there are some safety precautions that need to be addressed. This is particularly important due to the addition of the high school—Elite Preparatory Academy—students that now reside on campus. These students who may not have a strong grasp on the English language are particularly vulnerable to unfortunate situations. To address this concern, we have to first look at areas on campus where unwanted interactions can transpire. 

Some of the lights stationed throughout campus are out—specifically on the walk between Seay and Taylor Memorial Library—causing walkways to be dark and difficult to navigate at night. Most college campuses have blue emergency buttons or phones where students connect directly with emergency services, which would help students who feel unsafe or need immediate assistance. 

A common place where students feel unsafe is the student parking lot. Whether it’s during the day or at night, walking to your car when leaving campus is a daunting task when you constantly are checking over your shoulder. There should be more security personnel or designated vehicles in the lot, especially at night. Multiple students have mentioned feeling unsafe in the lot when it’s dark.

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These powerful people who have shared their experiences here are NOT victims but survivors of injustice and cruelty. Our society is far too complacent with people who are willing to strip away the bodily autonomy of others for the sake of pleasure and power. Your voice is the most powerful weapon and unity is the strongest tool, and Jane Doe is not simply a person but a movement. 

At Centenary, students have access to free counseling at the Counseling Center located at 605 Grand Avenue. The Center is open Monday–Friday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m, as well as offer walk-in hours daily from 12–1 p.m. They can be reached at 908-852-1400 extension 2125, or via email at counselingcenter@centenaryuniversity.edu.

If you’re someone struggling with sexual assault, reach out to the 24/7 sexual assault hotline for assistance at 800-656–4673. Remember that you’re never alone in this fight and you are never to blame for using your voice.