Cornell reopens gang rape investigation as student journalists keep up pressure

Cornell University in the United States has reopened an investigation into an alleged gang rape after a woman filed a lawsuit claiming she was raped in 2024 at the Chi Phi fraternity house. Her lawsuit, filed against seven men, the university, her sorority and the fraternity, has increased public pressure on the school to act.

The lawsuit describes a series of sexual assaults lasting nearly seven hours and alleges the woman was pressured into taking drugs. Numerous text messages have surfaced as part of the case. CBS News says it obtained video from the fraternity's Snapchat group showing that at 1:42 am, during the assault, one member texted asking if the "shop" was "still open" — an apparent reference to the woman — and received a reply confirming it was.

Student reporters at the center

The Cut has highlighted the role of student journalists at The Cornell Daily Sun, the campus newspaper, who have spent two weeks "relentlessly" chasing updates and demanding responses from university administrators. The paper earlier published a scathing editorial titled "Cornell won't, we will," naming the accused men and criticizing the university for its lack of transparency. The Cut praised the student team for handling the case with care and moral clarity throughout its coverage.