High-profile sexual assault cases in the United States can have an impact well beyond the communities where they happen, according to Canadian feminist lawyer and women’s advocate Pamela Cross.
Cross spoke with MBC News about allegations that a 20-year-old Cornell University student was gang raped by seven men at a fraternity house in October 2024.
No criminal charges were laid after the original investigation. The case returned to public attention after the woman filed a civil lawsuit naming seven fraternity members, Cornell University, the fraternity and other parties.
Cross says one of the biggest concerns is what cases like this can do to survivors watching from somewhere else – including here in Eastern Ontario.
Cross pointed to the recent London, Ont., hockey sexual assault trial as another example of how public cases can shape perceptions. She says an acquittal or a decision not to proceed with charges does not necessarily mean nothing happened, but that distinction can be lost in the wider public conversation.
That can make an already difficult decision even harder for people considering whether to disclose an assault or seek help.
Cross’ second concern is how communities talk about prevention.
Cross says campaigns aimed mainly at warning women to be careful can place responsibility in the wrong place. She pointed to messaging around the “red zone”: the first weeks of the school year, when sexual violence on campuses is often discussed.
Cross says prevention needs to focus more directly on consent, accountability and the behaviour of people who cause harm.
There is also what could be described as a reluctant positive in the renewed attention surrounding Cornell.
Cases like this can force difficult conversations in homes, schools, universities and communities that may otherwise be avoided. Cross says lasting change requires more than reacting after an assault has already happened.
Cross says accountability remains important, but prevention has to begin earlier.
Her message is that communities have a role in challenging attitudes that normalize sexual violence, making consent clear and creating an environment where survivors can come forward without facing another wall of disbelief.
For Eastern Ontario, the impact of the Cornell case may ultimately be measured by what communities choose to do with the conversation it has reopened.
