I Am Jane Doe: What the movement means and why you should care

The men were members of the university’s Chi Phi fraternity. According to her lawsuit, she was pressured into taking drugs and sexually assaulted while incapacitated.

In September 2026, the former Cornell student filed a civil lawsuit against the seven men, Cornell University, the Chi Phi fraternity and other parties. The allegations have not been proven in court, and no criminal charges have been filed against the seven men – dubbed the Cornell 7 – as of writing. The criminal investigation was reopened in September.

How did the I Am Jane Doe movement start? Disturbingly, some internet users tried to uncover the victim’s identity. Their efforts led to several women being wrongly identified as Jane Doe, and harassed and threatened as a result.

In response, people – mostly women – began declaring “I Am Jane Doe” across social media. Some men joined in too.

Beyond expressing solidarity with the victim, the movement sought to protect Jane Doe’s anonymity by flooding social media with posts, making it harder for those attempting to identify her through online searches.

Some participants also shared their own experiences of sexual assault and harassment in various spaces, including on school campuses and at home.