Florence Pugh condemns Cornell fraternity sexual assault case

Actress Florence Pugh posted on Instagram on Sunday, saying she is “enraged” by allegations that seven members of Cornell University's Chi Phi fraternity sexually assaulted a woman in October 2024. The post referenced a lawsuit filed on Sept. 16 by a former student identified as Jane Doe, who claims she was intoxicated, drugged and assaulted by multiple fraternity members at the house.

According to the complaint, Doe reported the incident to Cornell police three weeks later. An investigation resulted in the expulsion of two of the seven men, while the others received suspensions, workshops or essay assignments, and no arrests were made. Doe subsequently left the university and is now suing both the fraternity members and the university.

Cornell issued a statement on Sept. 21 saying it “takes sexual violence extremely seriously” and that the Chi Phi chapter remains barred from campus. University spokesperson Kyle Kimball noted that privacy laws prevent disclosure of individual disciplinary actions and that the university will respond through the legal process.

Pugh wrote that she felt “uneasy, sick and anxious” after learning about the case and urged men to be “horrified and sickened” like women, encouraging them to lead conversations on the issue. She also praised Doe, describing her as “unbelievably powerful” and offering support for her healing journey.