Show Notes
Cornell sexual assault lawsuit: what's alleged, why the case is back in the headlines, and why so many women still don't feel safe.
Content note: this episode discusses sexual assault. Please skip if that's not something you want to hear today.
A former Cornell student alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted at the Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024. Her civil lawsuit is now public, prosecutors have reopened the case, and the internet is asking how it was handled. (Cornell disputes that essays were the only consequence and says the allegations were investigated under its policies. These are allegations, and the legal process is ongoing.)
Our guest cancelled at the last minute, so Soraya and Jasmine had the conversation that needed to happen. In this episode:
- What the Cornell lawsuit alleges and why it has sparked such anger - Why women are still told to take every precaution while accountability lags behind - The bystander effect: what it means when a whole group chat stays silent - Why women don't report, and why reporting still matters, including to the police - Elite universities, institutions protecting themselves, and The Hunting Ground and Promising Young Woman - Is violence against women escalating? Social media, the manosphere and the under-16 ban debate - The New York video that asked women what they'd do if they were guaranteed safe for a day - More stories that show how often women aren't listened to, including the Tokyo Medical University admissions scandal - What we can actually do: speak up, don't assume someone else has reported it, and teach both boys and girls
Females Thriving Over 30 is the podcast for women in their thirties, forties, fifties and beyond, and for the twenty-somethings quietly dreading the big 3-0. Every week we talk career, identity, self-worth and building a life that feels as good as it looks.
If this episode brings anything up: Rape Crisis England & Wales 0808 500 2222 | RAINN (US) 1-800-656-4673
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