Cornell Rape Accuser Detailed Self-Harm Struggle Weeks Before Alleged Attack
The student who accused 'Cornell 7' fraternity members of rape disclosed a history of self-inflicted cutting prior to the alleged incident.
The Cornell University student who accused a group of fraternity brothers of gang-raping her detailed a struggle with self-harm, including leaving scars on her legs, weeks before the alleged assault. The student, identified as Jane Doe, made these disclosures in a November 2024 statement to the Cornell Police Department.
According to the statement, Doe engaged in ritualized cutting in August 2024, two months before the incident she claims occurred at a Chi Phi fraternity house. She reported that during the alleged assault, one of the fraternity members mentioned her scars but did not inquire further. Doe stated that this made her feel isolated.
"Hearing that my scars were brought up, but that none of them cared to ask about them made me feel super isolated and that I didn’t matter as a person to these men," she told police in her statement.
Self-harm, such as cutting, is described by the Mayo Clinic as a non-suicidal method of coping with intense emotional pain, including feelings of sadness, anger, or stress.
The alleged incident involved members of a group referred to as the 'Cornell 7' at the Chi Phi fraternity house. The full details of Doe's statement were first published by CBS News. The case has drawn significant attention, with protests and demonstrations occurring in solidarity with Jane Doe.
