More than one in three undergraduate women who responded to a Cornell University survey said they had experienced nonconsensual sexual contact during their time at the Ivy League university, shining a stark light on the scale of sexual violence reported by female students.
The 2025 Cornell Survey of Sexual Assault and Related Misconduct found that 35% of undergraduate women reported experiencing nonconsensual sexual contact involving force or incapacitation since entering the university. The figure rose from 23% in 2023, making the latest findings a particularly striking measure of the experiences being reported by students.
More Women Are Reporting Their Experiences
The latest figure does not mean that 35% of every undergraduate woman at Cornell experienced sexual assault. It reflects the students who responded to the university's survey, an important distinction given the unusually low participation rate.
Cornell sent the survey to a random sample of 6,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students during the spring 2025 semester. A total of 926 students responded, giving the survey an overall participation rate of 15%, compared with 36% in 2023.
Cornell's Presidential Task Force on Campus Sexual Assault later noted that the undergraduate response rate was even lower at 13%, and warned that the decline limits estimates and makes the findings more difficult to interpret.
Despite that limitation, the 35% figure represents a substantial increase from the 23% reported by undergraduate women in the previous survey.
It also comes alongside another important finding: among students who reported experiencing nonconsensual sexual contact in 2025, only 23% said they had contacted a formal resource. That figure was an increase from 11% in 2023, but still meant that the majority did not turn to an official support or reporting service.
'Not Serious Enough' To Report
One of the most revealing details behind the figures is why some students do not seek formal help. Cornell said many students who experienced negative incidents felt they were 'not serious enough' to report or address through official channels. Among those who reported nonconsensual sexual contact in 2025, just 23% contacted a formal resource, although that was up from 11% in 2023.
The findings have prompted strong reactions online, describing the figures simply as 'horrible' and another saying the problem 'isn't unique to Cornell, unfortunately'. Other commenters questioned whether the survey could capture the full scale of sexual assault, pointing to the fact that many incidents may never reach formal reporting channels.
Those comments are individual reactions, rather than evidence of unreported cases at Cornell. But they echo the concern behind the university's own findings: what students experience may not always be reflected in official reports.
Speaking about sexual assault can be particularly difficult when alcohol, drugs or incapacitation are involved. Cornell's task force has therefore recommended clearer communication about confidential resources and reporting options, alongside stronger education around consent, sexual health and healthy relationships.
Greek-Affiliated Women Reported Higher Rates
The survey also revealed a striking difference between undergraduate women who were involved in Cornell's Greek system and those who were not.
Some 52% of Greek-affiliated undergraduate women reported experiencing sexual assault, compared with 29% of undergraduate women who were not Greek-affiliated.
The university's task force identified the difference as an area requiring attention as Cornell considers how social environments can contribute to sexual assault and how prevention strategies can be strengthened.
The report also provided a clearer picture of where reported assaults occurred. Residence halls were the most commonly identified location, accounting for 29% of reported incidents, followed by off-campus residences at 23% and fraternity chapter houses at 17%.
These figures underscore that the issue cannot be reduced to one setting or type of student event.
Alcohol and Incapacitation Remain Important Factors
Alcohol also featured prominently in Cornell's findings.
According to the university's task force report, alcohol had been consumed by the alleged perpetrator before the incident in 62% of reported cases and by the victim in 55%.
In 50% of cases, respondents said they were conscious but incapacitated by alcohol or drugs for all or part of the incident, while 19% said they were passed out or unconscious for some or all of the incident.
The figures have strengthened calls for more comprehensive education around consent, alcohol and healthy relationships rather than relying solely on students to understand where the boundaries lie.
Cornell Is Planning Changes
Cornell established its Presidential Task Force on Campus Sexual Assault in February 2025 to examine the university's campus culture and identify ways to reduce sexual assault.
Its March 2026 report recommended clearer communication about support and reporting services, expanded education on sex and sexual health, improved physical safety measures and evidence-based prevention strategies.
Cornell has committed to implementing the recommendations, including a public health campaign, clearer information on confidential resources and reporting options, new educational opportunities and additional training for students, leaders and residential staff.
The recommendations come as Cornell faces renewed scrutiny over a separate 2024 allegation involving a former student and members of the Chi Phi fraternity. That case remains under investigation, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
But the latest survey shows the issue extends far beyond any single case.
For the students who took part, the figures represent experiences they chose to report—while Cornell acknowledges that the survey's low response rate limits how widely the findings can be applied.
With 35% of responding undergraduate women reporting nonconsensual sexual contact, the findings underscore the need to listen to students, make support and reporting easier to access, and turn the university's recommendations into meaningful change.
