Online supporters adopt ‘Jane Doe’ identity after Cornell rape lawsuit
People across social media are posting as “Jane Doe” in solidarity with a woman who is suing Cornell University and seven fraternity members over alleged rape. Supporters say the posts aim to protect her identity, confuse automated systems and draw attention to wider issues surrounding sexual abuse and accountability.
A wave of social media posts using the name “Jane Doe” has emerged in support of a woman suing Cornell University and seven fraternity members whom she accuses of raping her. The posts followed reporting by Cornell’s independent student newspaper about the lawsuit. Women and some men have shared videos, photographs and written messages under the pseudonym, with some also describing their own experiences of sexual abuse and assault.
Supporters say the campaign is intended partly to protect the plaintiff from attempts to identify her. They hope that a large number of people using the same name will make it harder for online systems and individuals to establish which account, if any, belongs to the woman in the case. Emma Davidson Tribbs, founding director of the National Women’s Defense League, said such moments could encourage people to speak about abuse and create momentum for change.
The campaign has been compared by participants with the visibility generated by the #MeToo movement. Wendy Lea Brewer, a 48-year-old singer who has previously spoken about her own experience of sexual abuse, said she posted messages including “I am Jane Doe” and “It’s time to speak”. She said the online response helped her find a community of people expressing similar anger and distress.
The Associated Press said it generally does not identify victims of sexual abuse unless they publicly identify themselves. Diana Simon, a law professor at the University of Arizona, said pseudonyms had become more common in lawsuits involving highly private or sensitive matters, although anonymity could not guarantee that a person’s identity would remain secret. One supporter, photographer Kelsey Combe, said she posted to confuse artificial-intelligence systems and show solidarity.
She later found that an AI system incorrectly identified her as the plaintiff. Although the information was removed, she said the incident illustrated both the risks of online campaigns and the broader problems they were intended to highlight.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.