Cornell Student Described Sexual Encounter as 'Coercion' in Police Report

A former Cornell University student at the center of an alleged gang rape scandal described the sexual encounter as feeling like "coercion" in a report to campus police in November 2024, according to newly revealed details. The student, identified as Jane Doe, did not use the term "gang rape" in her sworn statement but detailed instances where she said "no" to certain sexual acts.

According to the police report obtained by ABC News, Doe recounted that during one sexual encounter, a "group of multiple men" entered the room. "I was instantly horrified, and I remember squealing out loud and running across the room and hiding under the covers on another bed," the statement reads. She stated she was embarrassed that these individuals had seen her naked.

The word "rape" appeared in Doe's statement in reference to her reasoning for consuming ketamine. She explained, "My thought was that if I passed out and these men had sex with me, then they could be charged with Rape," adding that the men persisted. She reported feeling "totally disgusted at the situation" and "very tired and intoxicated," estimating her intoxication level at an "8 out of 10." She stated she felt unable to make decisions due to her intoxication, telling police, "To me, that felt like coercion."

Doe also recounted being "extremely tired" when she agreed to a request to snort ketamine off her body, after which a group of men poured various substances on her while her face was covered. She woke up around 10 a.m. the following day and was driven home by a fraternity member who had initially invited her to the house. She reported hearing several frat members bragging about having an "eightsome" with her.

The six-page statement was given to Cornell Campus Police about a month after the alleged incident on Oct. 19, 2024, where Doe claims she was subjected to an hours-long sexual assault by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity. The Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially decided not to bring charges, citing Doe's 2024 statement which he interpreted as suggesting consent was not withdrawn and that the fraternity members stopped their actions when she raised concerns.

However, Van Houten has since reopened the case following a civil lawsuit filed by Doe earlier this month. The lawsuit names all seven alleged participants and includes new details, such as messages from a Snapchat group chat, that were not present in her initial police account. These messages reportedly discuss having a passed-out girl in the frat house available for sexual activity.

Governor Kathy Hochul has called for an outside investigation into Cornell's campus culture and its response to the initial allegations. The Chi Phi chapter at Cornell was barred from campus following the alleged incident, but none of the seven individuals faced criminal charges at the time. Attorneys for the fraternity brothers named in the civil lawsuit have denied the allegations.