Olivia Rodrigo Responds to Fraternity Rape Lawsuit Involving Cornell University

Olivia Rodrigo has added her voice to calls for action against seven Cornell fraternity brothers who allegedly drugged and gang raped a young woman in 2024.

In a Sunday, Oct. 4, post on her Instagram Story, the pop star wrote, “Shame on Cornell and on every institution who protects rapists and abusers over women.”

“I stand with Jane Doe,” Rodrigo continued. “Her bravery reverberates across the country and the crimes against her will not go unpunished. What she lived through matters, and so does the failure of those who could have intervened but chose not to. She deserves answers, consequences, and lasting change.”

Billboard has reached out to Cornell for comment.

The Grammy winner’s message follows a lawsuit filed in September by a plaintiff identified as Jane Doe against the Ivy League school and seven Chi Phi members. The suit alleges that the former fraternity brothers gave her ketamine and alcohol before repeatedly sexually assaulting her in October 2024, and that they used a Snapchat group thread to encourage other Chi Phi members to join in assaulting the then-20-year-old plaintiff.

All of the men have denied wrongdoing and maintained that the sexual acts on the night in question were consensual or misrepresented in the lawsuit. Jane Doe also claims Cornell mishandled its response when she first reported the allegations in 2024. The New York Times reported that university disciplinary measures included expelling two fraternity members and barring one who had already graduated.

Two other members received suspensions, while the remaining Chi Phi defendants reportedly received lighter punishments. However, the university disputes claims that any of the men were allowed to write essays as the sole consequence of their involvement, addressing one of the more controversial claims in Jane Doe’s complaint.

“Any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false,” Kyle Kimball, vice president of university relations, stated in a Sept. 28 statement. He noted that the Cornell chapter of Chi Phi has remained barred from campus since the conclusion of an initial months-long Title IX investigation in 2024, which did not lead local prosecutors to file criminal charges. “A continuation of the false narrative that there were minimal consequences in this case is irresponsible, will make survivors feel less safe and supported, and will perpetuate the underreporting of sexual assault.”

On Oct. 3, Cornell president Michael I. Kotlikoff stated in a video message to students that the school must do better. He announced that the university will participate in an independent investigation regarding its handling of Jane Doe’s allegations and welcomed New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s appointment of State Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor for a newly opened criminal investigation into the alleged gang rape.

Rodrigo has previously spoken out on women’s issues, raising millions for abortion funds during her Guts World Tour and supporting charities dedicated to reproductive healthcare and domestic violence prevention at her inaugural Daisy Chain Fields festival in August. She joins artists such as Lzzy Hale and Florence Pugh in addressing the Cornell lawsuit publicly in recent weeks.

If you or anyone you know needs support, you can reach out to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. The organization provides free, confidential support to sexual assault victims. Call RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline (800-656-HOPE) — which is available 24/7, 365 days — or visit the anti-sexual violence organization’s website.