Is College Getting Less Safe for Women?
Recent cases at Cornell University and the University of Florida show how sexual violence and online harassment are making campuses more dangerous for female students.
A lawsuit at Cornell University says a female student was sexually assaulted by seven men at a fraternity house in 2024. One of the men sent a text to a group chat, inviting others to come to the room. Screenshots show that no one in the chat tried to stop what was happening.
All seven men were suspended while Cornell investigated. Only two were eventually expelled, and no criminal charges were filed at first. After widespread public outrage, prosecutors reopened the investigation into the case.
This is part of a larger national problem. A 2019 survey found that about one in four female college students experiences unwanted sexual contact. At Cornell, that number jumped from 23 percent to 35 percent of female undergraduates in just two years.
Online harassment is making things worse. A network of anonymous social media accounts called the 'burnerverse' is linked to universities and fraternities. Members post photos and videos of women to humiliate them, sometimes encouraged by fraternity leaders.
Maddie Kowalski, a sophomore at the University of Florida, became a victim of this network. Private videos of her were shared on X, and within one day they had been viewed more than 8 million times. Some users sent her messages urging her to harm herself.
Experts say colleges and tech companies need to act now. Schools could expel students who take part in harassment, and platforms could remove harmful content much faster. Until those steps are taken, female students remain at serious risk.
If the explicit goal of tech companies and universities were to discourage women from going to college by creating a hostile environment for female students, I'd be hard-pressed to imagine what they could do differently.
Comprehension quiz preview
1. What did one of the men at the Cornell fraternity house send after the alleged assault began?
2. According to a 2019 national survey, about how many female college students experience unwanted sexual contact?
3. What happened to the University of Florida's Title IX investigation into Maddie Kowalski's case?