University of British Columbia (UBC) students gathered at the Vancouver campus to demand stronger action against sexual violence. They expressed solidarity with a victim of an alleged gang rape at Cornell University in New York, where a lawsuit has been filed by a woman identified as Jane Doe over an incident in October 2024.
The alleged victim claims she was drugged and assaulted over an extended period at a frat house, triggering global outrage over the handling of the case by both the university and law enforcement. Despite the distance from the incident, students like Lorraine Massamba at the UBC rally resonated with their own encounters, stating that the issue deeply affects them and their peers.
Isabella Korkor, an organizer of the event, emphasized that Jane Doe symbolizes all women confronting assault and harassment on campuses worldwide. The demonstration saw around 70 students marching with signs bearing messages of support for the victim.
Participants demanded increased support for survivors of sexual violence and stricter consequences for the perpetrators. Organizer Paula Jiang highlighted the distressing frequency with which reports of assault and harassment are dismissed by campus authorities, sharing personal experiences of friends facing such challenges.
UBC affirmed its commitment to taking sexual assault allegations seriously and investigating them according to established policies. The university stressed its provision of confidential, trauma-informed services for those affected, emphasizing a safe and inclusive environment for the community.
Regarding the Cornell case, no criminal charges have been filed against the accused individuals. However, U.S. prosecutors have reopened the investigation, and a former Justice Department official has been assigned to scrutinize the university’s handling of sexual misconduct complaints. The university highlighted its sexual misconduct and sexualized violence policy, established in 2017 and subject to triennial review, and encouraged students to contact the UBC investigations office for reporting options.