In this episode, we talk with Aria Sickler Avery, one of the student leaders behind the Cornell University #IAmJaneDoe protests calling for increased accountability and more robust resources for survivors of sexual misconduct in the wake of the Cornell 7 sexual assault lawsuit filed nearly three weeks ago. Avery, a Cornell senior and president of the Gender Justice Advocacy Coalition, describes the mood on campus a day after a rally she helped organize that drew more than 1,000 people and where students called for changes to disciplinary procedures and for the resignation of university President Michael Kotlikoff.

Avery discusses how the Greek community has shielded itself from accountability, why Cornell's sexual misconduct rates are higher than at peer schools, and how hard it is for survivors to get trusted health care in Ithaca, NY, while Lisa spotlights the lasting health consequences of sexual violence, including PTSD, chronic pain, and depression.

Sources

"Cornell, Chi Phi Sued by Victim of Alleged Gang Rape, Drugging in 2024," by Careese Qusba, The Daily Sun https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2026/09/tccsuykuvb4z

"A Timeline of the Cornell Gang Rape Allegations," CNN, Oct. 6, 2026 https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/03/us/cornell-rape-case-timeline-hnk "How Cornell Punished Each of the 7 Men Accused of Sexual Assault," by Sharon Otterman, Hurubie Meko, and Debra Kamin, The New York TImes, Oct. 3, 2026 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/03/nyregion/cornell-men-university-discipline.html

"About Sexual Violence," Centers for Disease Control https://www.cdc.gov/sexual-violence/about/index.html

"‘I am Jane Doe’: Thousands rally at Cornell as fraternity rape allegations roil nation," by Jimmy Jordan, Fernando Figueroa, and Megan Zerez, The Ithaca Voice, Oct. 5, 2026 https://ithacavoice.org/2026/10/i-am-jane-doe-thousands-rally-at-cornell-as-fraternity-rape-allegations-roil-nation/

"Cornell Faces Mounting Pressure Over Jane Doe Allegations," by Jillian McCarthy, Ithaca Journal, Oct. 8, 2026 https://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/public-safety/2026/10/08/cornell-jane-doe-case-sparks-protests-criminal-investigation/92136158007/

"Student Assembly Introduces Measures to Prevent Bias, Implement Date-Rape-Drug Test Kits Following Controversy," by Sofia Rubinson, The Daily Sun, May 7, 2024

https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2024/05/student-assembly-introduces-measures-to-prevent-bias-implement-date-rape-drug-test-kits-following-controversy

"Student Assembly Elections Postponed Amid Ethics Investigation," by Sofia Rubinson and Kate Sanders, The Daily Sun, May 28, 2024 https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2024/03/student-assembly-elections-moved-back-amid-ethics-investigation