Cornell rape case sparks debate over sexual violence at Chapman
Graphic by Riley LeBlanc, Photographer
“You cannot educate someone out of misogyny. You need the law.”
Chapman University professor Mona Shadia’s words underscore a question facing college campuses worldwide: How can universities prevent sexual violence and hold perpetrators accountable when cultural norms may help sustain it?
On Sept. 16th, a lawsuit filed by a former Cornell Student identified as Jane Doe brought the question back into focus. According to the Cornell Sun, the suit names Cornell University, multiple Chi Phi fraternity organizations, the former president of Cornell’s Chi Phi chapter, several sorority organizations, seven current and former students, a local bar and several unnamed individuals.
The allegations have drawn national attention to sexual violence, university accountability and the role campus culture plays in shaping students’ behavior.
“As a woman, it makes me really think twice on how safe colleges really are,” Meili Robles, a junior broadcast journalism and documentary major, said.
According to the lawsuit, Jane Doe was allegedly sexually assaulted while under the influence of drugs. The case has created a nationwide scrutiny of how institutions respond to allegations of sexual violence and how legal standards affect survivors seeking justice.
At Chapman, the case has prompted conversations about campus safety, Greek life and the responsibility students and universities share in preventing sexual violence.
Students have noted that the Healthy Panther Initiative has recently transitioned to an online format rather than an in-person session. This is a required program for all new first-year and transfer undergraduate students that provides information on topics such as safe sexual practices, sexual violence prevention and responsible decisions regarding drugs and alcohol.
Bob Hitchcock, Chapman Director of Strategic Communications, declined to comment on Healthy Panther, but instead emphasized the university’s commitment to student safety and its efforts to prevent and address sexual violence.
“The safety, security and well-being of our students and community members are among our highest priorities, and we take that responsibility extremely seriously,” Hitchcock said.
According to Hitchcock, Chapman provides ongoing prevention education, confidential support and advocacy resources, self-defense and Public Safety training and reporting processes through the Title IX Coordinator. All students are also required to complete online training addressing sexual violence prevention and bystander intervention.
Chapman’s Sexual Misconduct Information Guide outlines additional protections for students, including supportive measures - such as a sexual assault/rape crisis counselor, privileged support people, and Student Psychological Services - that can be provided regardless of whether a student files a formal complaint or reports an incident to law enforcement.
The university also has an amnesty policy intended to protect students in active investigations from being held accountable for Student Conduct Code violations connected to an incident, such as underage drinking or drug use, unless the violation is considered “egregious.”
Chapman’s policies recognize that reporting sexual misconduct can be difficult. The university states that there is no time limit for reporting and acknowledges that survivors may delay reporting due to the sensitive nature of these incidents.
According to Chapman’s 2026 Annual Security & Fire Safety Report, four rapes were reported in 2025; there were also seven reports of fondling, seven cases of dating violence, one domestic violence report and 14 reported cases of stalking. In 2024, there were also four rape reports.
The data reflects reported offenses, not necessarily the total number of incidents that occurred. They also raise questions about how universities can evaluate the effectiveness of prevention education, reporting procedures and survivor support.
Despite Chapman’s stated previous efforts, students have questions about whether existing programs are enough to foster a culture in which sexual violence is consistently challenged.
“I find Chapman to be very proactive and protective of its student body,” said Asher Estep, a history and political science sophomore. “That message is still transmitted through C.A.R.E.S events and posters, but with the removal of [an in-person] Healthy Panther, the campaign against rape on campus has stalled significantly.”
Creating a Rape-free Environment for Students, or C.A.R.E.S., is a departmental organization and club that is a group of committed and dedicated students who are devoted to raising awareness about interpersonal and sexual violence.
C.A.R.E.S. holds many events each year to open dialogue about interpersonal and sexual violence. This includes the Clothesline Project, a showing of the documentary The Hunting Ground, Denim Day, tabling and The C.A.R.E.S. Walk Against Violence.
According to Dani Smith, Chapman C.A.R.E.S. Coordinator, the annual walk typically attracts 200 to 250 participants. This year, 327 waivers were signed for the Sept. 30 event, approximately two weeks after the Cornell lawsuit was filed.
For Malyssa Shaw, a senior studying creative writing, C.A.R.E.S. was an important factor in choosing Chapman.
“One of the biggest reasons I chose Chapman was because I was deeply inspired by C.A.R.E.S.; I joined as soon as I transferred,” Shaw said.
However, Shaw said recent administrative changes have weakened her confidence in the university’s prevention efforts. She pointed specifically to the transition of the Healthy Panther from in-person programming to an entirely online format.
Shaw said she believes the change limits opportunities for incoming students to engage meaningfully with education about consent, safe sex, campus resources and harm reduction. She also expressed concern about students' accounts of Title IX proceedings, which she described as retraumatizing and unhelpful.
Shaw said she started a petition calling for the restoration of the program’s original format.
“Especially at a time like this, we need to be talking about campus rape more. Not less,” Shaw said. “We need to have stronger and louder support on campus. Not weaker and quieter.”
For students, the Cornell case has become more than a distant legal dispute. It has sparked questions about how universities respond to warning signs, how students intervene when they witness harmful behavior and whether prevention programs meaningfully change campus culture.
“Sexual violence is not a private moral failure,” said Mona Shadia, a political science professor. “It's a structural failure.”
Shadia argues that sexual violence cannot be understood solely as the result of individual misconduct.
Instead, she said, researchers must also examine the institutional structures and social expectations that can normalize aggression, discourage intervention and protect powerful groups.
“Fraternities don't reveal character. They shape the character,” Shadia said, summarizing the argument.
The Cornell allegations have raised concerns about the influence of fraternity and sorority culture on student behavior and institutional accountability.
“I believe this situation is and should be highlighting the dangers of fraternity/sorority culture,” said Robles.
Robles raised concerns about whether universities recognize warning signs in student organizations and respond adequately to misconduct and questioned whether other problems could remain unaddressed.
Chapman’s Interfraternity Council posted a comment surrounding the Cornell case on social media on Sept. 30, which included resources for people impacted by sexual violence.
“The recent events at Cornell University are devastating, and they demand more from all of us, especially fraternity men. Silence is not neutrality,” the statement reads.
In the Cornell case, reports of Snapchat messages allegedly circulated among fraternity members have intensified questions about bystander responsibility. The messages, which Shadia accounts as demeaning toward Jane Doe, raise concerns about what students do when they witness or learn about potentially harmful behavior.
Shadia stressed that structural explanations do not absolve individuals of responsibility. The students accused of assault, those who allegedly witnessed warning signs and university officials responsible for responding to misconduct all have individual agency, she said. However, understanding the culture surrounding those decisions is essential to preventing similar incidents.
“Structure does not eliminate agency,” Shadia said. “But it does shape the conditions and a context where the agency is exercised.”
From Shadia’s perspective, sexual violence is also an institutional and social problem that requires more than individual awareness campaigns.
Chapman’s prevention programs, reporting procedures and support services provide a framework for responding to sexual misconduct. But the effectiveness of those measures also depends on whether students understand their responsibilities and whether the university consistently enforces its policies.
Ultimately, Shadia challenged students to consider not only what universities should do, but also what kind of community they want to build.
“Who will you be?” she asked. “How are you going to be walking among your peers and in your community? What will you do?”
Students seeking assistance or information about sexual violence can view/contact the following resources:
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
Chapman University Sexual Assault Crisis Counselor: (714) 744-7080
Waymakers Sexual Assault Hot Line (24 Hours) : (714) 957-2737
Sexual Violence Crisis Hotline: (800) 656-4673
Local Rape Crisis Hotline: (714) 831-9110
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)Website: www.rainn.org
Find services for victims in your area: (800) 656-HOPE (4673)
National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-SAFE (7233)
Suicide Prevention Hotline: (800) 273-8255
Drug and Alcohol Abuse Hotline: (800) 662-HELP