Dozens of advocates and survivors gathered in Times Square on Monday, marking two years since a Cornell University student known publicly only as Jane Doe says she was raped by seven fraternity brothers in 2024. The gathering was organized by Safe Horizon as part of a nationwide push to explain why so many survivors wait years, sometimes decades, before coming forward.
Several dozen advocates and survivors gathered in Times Square as Safe Horizon marked two years since Jane Doe was allegedly raped at Cornell, according to ABC7 New York. The rally, held near Safe Horizon's offices at 1520 Broadway, was part of the organization's “Trauma Takes Time” public awareness campaign, which aims to elevate awareness about sexual assault victims, per the outlet. As Spectrum News NY1 reported, Safe Horizon also released a public service announcement supporting Jane Doe as part of the same effort.
A PSA Built Around Survivors' Timelines
The PSA, also titled Trauma Takes Time, features survivors of sexual assault, child abuse and intimate partner violence, and addresses why some survivors wait years before coming forward, according to NY1's reporting. Safe Horizon CEO Liz Roberts described the PSA as showing survivors holding signs indicating how long it took them to speak about their experiences, the station's report notes. Roberts said there is no expiration date on speaking up or seeking support, per the same account.
Rally participants echoed that message, saying people should not be discredited for not immediately reporting abuse, according to NY1. The event was part of more than 200 “I Am Jane” rallies held across the country in at least 40 states, the outlet reported, with similar gatherings taking place at Columbia University and Foley Square in New York City.
Survivors Describe Years of Silence
Bridie Farrell, director of victim rights, advocacy and legislation at Weitz & Luxenberg, told the crowd she was once an Olympic speed skater with an Olympic dream at age 15 when a 33-year-old teammate sexually abused her. “I did not speak up for 16 years,” Farrell said, according to ABC7's coverage of the rally.
Another survivor, Leana Pardo, said, “I was raped in 2020, and it took four years to report,” per the same report. Those accounts track with broader research on disclosure delays: a 2024 systematic review identified 70 barriers to reporting, investigating, prosecuting and sentencing adult women's sexual assault and rape cases across 28 studies, according to a study published in the journal Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. The review found barriers were most prevalent at the reporting stage, followed by investigation, prosecution and sentencing, and noted that only about 31% of rape and sexual assault cases are reported to the criminal justice system in the United States. Key themes behind that gap included lack of trust in the criminal justice system, internal reactions, rape myths and societal norms, and perpetrator characteristics, the review found.
The Cornell Case Behind the Rally
The rally traces back to allegations first raised by the Cornell student identified as Jane Doe, who says she was raped by seven fraternity brothers in 2024, according to NY1. Jane Doe's account has also been described differently across coverage of her case: CNN reported that her civil complaint alleges seven members of Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity drugged and sexually assaulted her, while a separate CNN report described her as saying she had been gang raped while intoxicated by five men at a fraternity house. The discrepancy between those two accounts has not been resolved in available reporting.
Doe filed a civil lawsuit alleging gang rape at Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024, CNN reported. All seven fraternity brothers named in the civil lawsuit have denied wrongdoing, and no criminal charges have been filed, according to ABC News.
Threats, Swatting and a State Investigation
Jane Doe has faced backlash including threats and doxxing attempts since filing her lawsuit against Cornell, per NY1's reporting. CNN reported that Doe has received death threats, according to her attorney, Thomas Giuffra, and that she was also targeted in a swatting incident during which police drew guns on her family and a friend.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is investigating the allegations at Cornell, according to NY1. CNN's reporting adds that James's office has launched a separate investigation into how Cornell police handled Jane Doe's allegations. A statement attributed to the New York Attorney General's office says the office was appointed as a special prosecutor to investigate an alleged sexual assault that occurred at Cornell in October 2024.
