Protesters stage 'I Am Jane Doe' rally in New York City against sexual violence
Hundreds of protesters gathered in New York City to rally against sexual violence, supporting a Cornell student who is suing fraternity members for alleged gang rape. The demonstration is part of a broader national movement demanding accountability for sexual assault on university campuses.
Why it matters
The protest highlights ongoing national tensions regarding campus safety, institutional accountability, and the handling of sexual assault allegations.
Protesters calling for tougher action against sexual violence rallied on Thursday (October 8, 2026) outside the New York City courthouse where a Cornell University student stirred a national uproar by suing several campus fraternity members she accused of gang rape.
The demonstration, drawing a crowd of hundreds to the New York State Supreme Court building in Manhattan, was one of dozens of protests organized on campuses and in communities across the country under the social media banner "#StopSexualViolence: From the Frat House to the White House”.
Several hundred people, mostly women, displayed banners reading “I am Jane Doe. Be afraid of me,” “Death to rape culture” and “This is personal” outside the New York Supreme Court in downtown Manhattan, where the Cornell student identified in court documents as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit against her alleged rapists.
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