Cornell rape accuser’s lawyer says online efforts to identify her are causing distress

The lawyer for a woman who alleges she was raped at a Cornell University fraternity house says online attempts to identify her have left her “under siege”. Thomas Giuffra said the woman, known in legal documents as Jane Doe, was not doing well as social media users sought to uncover her identity. He said some women had been incorrectly identified as the accuser.

The woman alleges that seven men raped her at the Ithaca, New York, campus in 2024. No charges were initially filed, but the case was reopened after she filed a civil lawsuit that brought the claims into wider public attention. Giuffra said the woman, who was 20 at the time, was incapable of consenting because she was heavily intoxicated.

He also said she had been pressured to take ketamine before the alleged assault. The allegations have not been established in court. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed Attorney General Letitia James to take over the investigation, saying she had lost faith in the county prosecutor’s handling of the case.

Hochul said the woman had been failed by institutions that were responsible for protecting her. The governor also said she intended to close a legal loophole that makes rape charges difficult when an alleged victim voluntarily consumes alcohol or drugs. Supporters have posted videos under the title “I am Jane Doe” to complicate online searches and show solidarity.

At the same time, internet users have tried to locate the men named in the lawsuit. In one case, an active-duty US Marine with the same name as one of the men was mistakenly served with the lawsuit and then received abuse and threats. The lawyer said the online campaign had intensified the pressure on his client while the investigation continued.