University of Arizona students rallied and marched along Greek Life Row on Oct. 8 in solidarity with Cornell University’s Jane Doe, demanding stronger responses to sexual violence at universities, including their own.

The rally was part of a national day of action in response to the case of Jane Doe, a former Cornell University student who alleges seven men drugged and sexually assaulted her at a fraternity house in 2024 and who sued the university and others in September.

The rally was organized by several groups, including UA Resist; Feminists Organized to Resist, Create and Empower; Pride Alliance; Students for Socialism; and others. It came days after the university announced that all fraternities were placed on activities suspension amid a wave of misconduct investigations.

Inside Higher Ed reported Oct. 14 that university spokesperson Nick Prevenas said that 16 fraternities were cleared after mandatory meetings and five remaining are under active investigation by the dean of students’ office and the University of Arizona Police Department.

“Universities across this nation including the U of A and the justice system have proven themselves incapable of protecting the most vulnerable students and holding perpetrators of sexual violence accountable,” Arian, a member of Students for Socialism, said to the crowd.

One freshman student attending the rally shared her experience being sexually assaulted and strangled in September, saying the university didn’t take any action to keep her attacker off campus. She said the dean of students told her the university would not keep her attacker, who plans to enroll, from entering campus, and the Office of Institutional Equity cut off communication with her after a meeting last month.

Brandon Rogers, a member of a Greek life organization, said Second Street, home to many of the UA's fraternity houses, has a culture of assault, abuse and rape.

“One that has been allowed to continue on our campus because of the million dollars it brings back in alumni donations, and recognition, and popularity,” he said.

Rogers also spoke about the situation at Cornell.

“Why in a house of over 50 men did not a single one hold their so-called brothers accountable?” Rogers asked. “And why did it take two years and a lawsuit from a victim for Cornell University, the city of Ithaca and for the state of New York to actually take a victim seriously?”

One in six female freshman students experience some form of sexual violence or harassment, Rogers said, and one in three women attending a four-year university will experience sexual violence at some point in their lives.

“There have been like eight reported incidents since the beginning of the semester, but they have been slipping through the cracks,” said student Luiza Benavides.

Protesters also criticized what they described as the university’s multimillion-dollar partnerships with Raytheon, Elbit Systems and Border Patrol.

“President Garimella has repeatedly shown his priorities by inviting people like alleged rapist, billionaire Eric Schmidt to be our commencement speaker last year for graduation,” said Students for Socialism member Audrey Zelinka.

Marchers called for accountability and justice as chants of “Gender Violence We Say No, Sexual Assault has got to Go” filled campus.

“I came out here to protest the inaction taken by the Cornell University because their border directors thought covering up a rape would be much better than having to face the facts that they are protecting rapists and have for many many years,” said Students for Socialism member Apollo Pearrish.

Others came out in solidarity with the survivors.

“What brought me here was that I’ve had a lot of people in my life that I know that have survived sexual assault,” said one protester.

Others said the issue reaches well beyond one campus.

“This happens all over the US, just because it happened at one place and that’s like trending doesn’t mean that we can’t stand up for everywhere it’s happened as a whole,” said student Brooke Kanyur.

Protesters also pointed to what can be done locally.

“We can take the steps, the university can take the steps,” Benavides said. “We culturally can take the steps to call out when we see aspects of rape culture in our community.”

Abril Ruiz is a student at the University of Arizona School of Journalism and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at abrilruiz@arizona.edu.

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