Woman at center of Cornell rape inquiry fears for safety, lawyer says

The woman who alleges she was drugged and raped at a Cornell University fraternity house is living in "constant fear" and has experienced malicious threats directed at her and her family, her lawyer stated.

Thomas Giuffra, representing the woman referred to as Jane Doe, told the BBC that the past few weeks have been "a very hard time" for his client, whose life has been "completely upended" since filing a civil lawsuit. The suit alleges a sexual assault involving several men at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024. The men involved have denied any wrongdoing and have not been charged with any crimes.

Giuffra described his client as "under fire" following the case going viral. While a wave of "I am Jane Doe" posts showed solidarity, a separate campaign emerged aiming to unmask her and defend the accused men. The lawyer added that Jane Doe has not been sleeping well and is relying on medication for rest, undergoing trauma therapy, and feels unsafe in her home.

According to Giuffra, after her address was published online without her consent, someone made a false emergency call to her family home, leading to police arriving with assault rifles. "It's just constant fear," he said.

Despite these challenges, Giuffra stated that his client's resolve remains unshaken, and she is determined to advocate for changes within the university system at Cornell and nationally to better protect survivors.

Cornell University has acknowledged shortcomings in its handling of the case. Following intense pressure, the university's president announced a suspension of fraternity parties until the end of the academic year to allow for a thorough review of their safety. The school also plans to increase the number of sexual assault investigators on its police force.

Giuffra expressed surprise that Cornell had not contacted him, suggesting the university's focus has been on "damage control." He indicated that any resolution to the civil lawsuit must include concrete steps to prevent future incidents and ensure support for survivors.

The BBC contacted Cornell, which referred the outlet to previous statements regarding its internal investigation. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed Attorney General Letitia James to oversee a reopened investigation into whether criminal charges are warranted.

Giuffra voiced concerns that the reopened criminal investigation might be hampered by stale evidence, noting that crucial communications might have been on platforms like Snapchat, which automatically delete content. "The best time to get evidence is around the time of the crime and that just didn't happen," he said.

However, Giuffra remains confident in his ability to win the civil case, where the burden of proof is lower than in criminal proceedings. He stated, "I wouldn't have taken the case if I didn't think it was a strong case that I could win and get her some closure."