Olivia Rodrigo criticises Cornell over alleged gang rape case

Olivia Rodrigo has condemned Cornell University over its handling of an alleged gang rape at its Chi Phi fraternity house.

In an Instagram Story post on Oct. 4, the singer wrote, “Shame on Cornell and on every institution who protects rapists and abusers over women.” In a second post, she wrote, “I stand with Jane Doe.”

The messages referred to a lawsuit filed in September by a plaintiff known as Jane Doe against Cornell and seven former Chi Phi members, according to Billboard. The plaintiff filed a civil case in New York, a lawsuit that seeks financial damages rather than criminal punishment.

The lawsuit alleges that the seven men gave Jane Doe ketamine and alcohol before repeatedly sexually assaulting and raping her in October 2024, when she was 20 years old. It further alleges that members encouraged others to join the assault through a Snapchat group thread.

All seven men have denied wrongdoing. They stated that the sexual acts described in the lawsuit were consensual or misrepresented.

Cornell conducted a Title IX investigation in 2024, the formal process that universities in the United States must use to examine complaints of sexual misconduct. No criminal charges followed. The Chi Phi chapter has remained barred from campus since that investigation concluded.

Pressure on the university has grown in recent weeks. Cornell president Michael I. Kotlikoff said in a video message on Oct. 3 that the school “must do better” and would take part in an independent investigation into how it handled Jane Doe’s allegations.

A criminal inquiry has also been reopened. The Tompkins County District Attorney’s office is re-examining the case, according to the Cornell Daily Sun. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has appointed State Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor, an outside official brought in to lead a criminal investigation independently, to oversee that inquiry.

Cornell has disputed public claims about how the accused students were disciplined. The university denied that essay-writing was the sole consequence and confirmed that expulsions followed the 2024 investigation, the Cornell Daily Sun reported.

Rodrigo, 23, is the singer known for “good 4 u”. Her Oct. 4 posts did not give further detail beyond her criticism of the university and her support for the plaintiff.