Cornell accused of ignoring sexual assault complaints against student

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 9 Nov, 18:27 · Archive

Two female students sued Cornell University in 2023, alleging the school failed to investigate reports that a male student had sexually assaulted up to ten victims.

Two female Cornell students sued the university in Tompkins County Supreme Court in November 2023, alleging it failed to investigate complaints that a male student sexually assaulted them and potentially up to ten other students. One woman said she was assaulted from June 2018 until filing a Title IX complaint that autumn; the other attended the school from 2019 to 2024. Both women claimed the university's Title IX office had received multiple complaints about the same student before theirs but took no action.

The women alleged they were 'sexually, physically and verbally assaulted' by the student and that 'many more women were abused but have yet to come forward'. One plaintiff believed other classmates had also filed complaints about him; the other learned a third student had submitted a complaint. The women accused Cornell of failing to report the allegations to law enforcement. Cornell and the accused student have denied the allegations in court records.

Cornell asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing the allegations did not meet certain legal standards, but was unsuccessful. The case has emerged as the university faces separate scrutiny following a September 2024 lawsuit alleging a female student was gang-raped by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity at a drug-fuelled party in October 2024.

How it is being reported

• Cornell plunged into fresh sex scandal as bosses are accused of letting student get away with up to 10 sex attacksEsat Braveboy allegedly carried out a string of sexual and physical assaults between 2018 and 2021, while the Ivy League school failed to act despite repeated warnings about his behavior.Daily Mail · 9 Nov, 20:13
• Students allege Cornell did not take them seriously in reporting classmate who sexually and physically assaulted othersThe women, who have not been identified, allege they were sexually assaulted by a male student in 2018 and 2021Independent World · 9 Nov, 17:59
• Cornell rocked by yet another sex assault scandal involving up to 10 students, accused of doing ‘nothing to investigate’Cornell University ignored another report of sexual assault on campus that could involve up to 10 student victims — and “did nothing to investigate,” according to an unearthed lawsuit.New York Post · 9 Nov, 15:17

In this story: Cornell University · Esat Braveboy · Chi Phi · Tompkins County · New York

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