I too was gang raped by a group of college students. This is the uncomfortable truth about Cornell’s Jane Doe that no woman wants to discuss
Brenda Tracy, a survivor who accused four Oregon State University students of raping her in 1998, says allegations of a similar assault at Cornell have brought back memories of her experience. Her account highlights the self-blame and shame some survivors feel, and the challenges they may face when deciding whether to report an assault.
Tracy was 24 and a mother of two when she said she was repeatedly assaulted over seven hours after becoming incapacitated at an apartment in Corvallis. She reported the incident after a nurse encouraged her to seek help, and police arrested all four men. The article links her experience to a civil lawsuit alleging an hours-long assault by seven Cornell fraternity members; four have publicly denied the allegations.
- Brenda Tracy says a 1998 assault shaped her response to later allegations at Cornell.
- She reported the incident after support from a nurse.
- A Cornell lawsuit accuses seven fraternity members; four deny the allegations.
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Brenda Tracy says she was sexually assaulted by four Oregon State University students in 1998, when she was 24 and caring for two children. She reported the assault after a nurse encouraged her to seek help, and police arrested the four men.
The Cornell case involves a civil lawsuit alleging that seven fraternity members assaulted a woman over several hours. Four have publicly denied the allegations; the claims are part of a legal case, not an established finding of guilt.
Tracy’s account draws attention to how shame and self-blame can affect survivors, and how difficult reporting can feel. These issues matter when considering why someone may delay reporting or choose not to report an assault.