Let's Talk about the Cornell 7

Le'ts talk about the elephant in the room: the Cornell 7. The upsetting allegations are deeply disturbing. Unfortunately, as a sorority alum, it is not a new story.  I heard whispers about "trains" in fraternity houses when I was a student at SDSU in the eighties. Fortunately, I only heard of one story (one too many) as something outrageous that happened, and it was a cautionary tale.

So, in case you haven't heard, a Cornell student and sorority member alleged that she was sexually assaulted by 7 or more members of the Chi Phi fraternity in 2024. The case has now drawn national attention, including scrutiny of how the university and authorities responded and attempted to minimize it and cover it up. Why is it getting attention now? Because of a few intrepid student journalists and the editor of the campus newspaper. the Cornell Daily Sun.

For those of us who still believe in all of the positive things about participating in Greek life, such as the life-long friendships and connections that Greek life brings, incidents like this are particularly heartbreaking for us. Fraternities and sororities are supposed to be (and can be) communities built on friendship, leadership, service, belonging and lifelong relationships. They are not supposed to be environments where anyone feels unsafe or where sexual violence or alcohol and drug abuse is tolerated and even encouraged.

But, let's be real.  These sorts of incidents have been going on for decades ~ especially when underage drinking and/or drug abuse are added in to create a potent cocktail of danger. Just replace "ketamine" with "cocaine" in the 1980's and you get the idea.

When sexual assault is associated with Greek organizations, the damage extends far beyond the individuals involved. It can undermine the trust that students, parents and alumni place in the entire Greek system. Women may become afraid to attend fraternity events. Parents may question whether sorority membership is something their precious daughters should aspire to. And thousands of fraternity and sorority members who work every day to create positive experiences and fond memories can find themselves having to defend a system they care deeply about.

But protecting Greek life cannot mean protecting its reputation at the expense of sexual assault survivors.

So, what is the answer? Is it more education about these issues? I'm not sure.  On my 21st birthday, our sorority house coincidentally had a speaker come in and talk about alcohol abuse.  After the talk, a few of us went to hit up some bars. 

Is the answer accountability? Well, that would certainly help if bad behavior has consequences.

But, from where I sit, it appears that this is a monumental moment that requires a massive cultural change in Greek life and in our larger culture, overall.  After all, it's not just fraternities that are accused of this abhorrent behavior.  There are similar stories to this from sports organizations and sadly, even from the top echelons of our government. So, how do we root out the problem?

Every fraternity and sorority should make consent, bystander intervention, responsible alcohol and drug policies and sexual-assault prevention an ongoing part of membership education, and not just a short presentation during recruitment or orientation. Or, like in my case - a single presentation during one Monday night Chapter meeting. The National Panhellenic Conference should implement policies to prevent future incidents. Members should know that looking the other way is not acceptable. These matters deserve serious attention and they need to be rooted out of our culture.

The Cornell case deserves a thorough, fair investigation and accountability based on evidence. But, it looks pretty bad, and I have every reason to believe Jane Doe. It took a lot of bravery for Jane Doe to come forward, and she  deserves to be treated with dignity and compassion throughout this process. Apparently, she is now receiving death threats and there was a dangerous swatting incident at her home this week that could have gotten someone killed. This is completely unacceptable.

This story has captivated the nation because it hits on multiple levels. It exposes how privilege protects, which anyone can see trickles down from the highest levels of power in our country.  It also shows how alcohol and drug abuse, not only on college campuses, but in our society overall, is a big problem that needs a systemic overhaul and needs much greater attention. I have personally witnessed college friends slide down the slippery slope towards alcoholism after graduation because they continued to drink the same way they did in college.  Drinking is such a normalized activity, and the Greek system definitely condones a drinking culture. To me, this is one of the biggest red flags in this entire story.  Would this situation have occurred without the presence of copious amounts of alcohol and drugs?

Let's hope that Jane Doe gets the justice she deserves and that anyone who minimizes these awful situations face accountability. Especially, now that it appears that two of the alleged perpetrators have fled from the U.S.

Greek Life Has an Opportunity to Do Better

This is a huge wake-up call to the entire Greek system.Just this week, the University of Arizona has suspended activities at its fraternities following persistent reports of misconduct, including assault, hazing and drug- and alcohol-related behavior, a university official said. Just seven weeks into the fall semester, the university’s Dean of Students Office was investigating multiple misconduct reports involving nearly half the school’s Inter-fraternity Council chapters. Good for the University of Arizona!

Obviously, the Jane Doe incident hasn't only happened on the Cornell campus. But, every Greek organization should take an honest look at its own culture and ask what it can do better. We can love the friendships, traditions and sisterhood and brotherhood that Greek life provides while being completely unwilling to tolerate sexual violence or to condone alcohol and drug abuse.

Protecting the future of Greek life means making the safety and dignity of every member, and every person who walks through a fraternity or sorority door, a priority.

If You or Someone You Know Has Been Sexually Assaulted

You are not alone. You are not to blame. And it is not your fault.

• RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: Call 800-656-HOPE (4673) for free, confidential, 24/7 support. You can also text HOPE to 64673 or use RAINN's online chat. RAINN
  RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline

• National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC): Provides information, survivor resources and connections to local sexual-assault service providers. NSVRC
  NSVRC Find Help

• Medical care: RAINN can help survivors locate hospitals and clinics offering trauma-informed care and sexual assault forensic examinations. RAINN

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