In September, a woman identified anonymously as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit against Cornell University, claiming that the men involved in the 2024 assault were not appropriately punished. The woman alleged that she was drugged and raped at a fraternity house at the university. Shockingly, some of the men involved were required to write essays as their punishment.

Lori Jenkins, sexual assault services director for The Refuge Utah, said the attention surrounding the Cornell case gives us an opportunity to have a much-needed conversation right here in Utah County.

“Sexual assault is a significant concern in Utah County,” Jenkins said. “We have two of the state’s largest universities, BYU and UVU, right here in our community. That means we have a substantial population of young adults navigating relationships, independence and social situations. But sexual assault is certainly not limited to college campuses.”

The Refuge Utah serves survivors throughout Utah, Juab, Carbon and Wasatch counties and works closely with both universities, forensic nurses, law enforcement and other community partners.

“Sexual assault happens in apartments, private homes, dating relationships, parties, workplaces and families,” Jenkins said. “Many survivors know the person who assaulted them, and many never report their assault because of fear, shame, self-blame or concerns about not being believed.”

The particular circumstances being discussed in the Cornell case are not unfamiliar to those who work with sexual assault survivors. Sexual assaults involving alcohol, drugs and vulnerable individuals are not exclusive to fraternities.

According to Jenkins, over the past three years, alcohol and/or drugs have been involved in approximately 43 to 45% of the sexual assault cases they have served. That percentage has remained remarkably consistent year after year, she said.

“Alcohol should never become an excuse for sexual assault, nor should it become a reason to blame or discredit someone who has been assaulted,” Jenkins said. “Drinking does not mean someone is asking for sexual activity. Being at a party, going home with someone or making choices that others might disagree with never gives another person permission to violate them.”

So, what will be the impact of all of the media attention surrounding the Cornell case? Jenkins said the case raises questions about how we talk about consent, responsibility and accountability.

“I believe these are conversations we need to be having in our own community, not just when a national headline forces us to,” she said.

Let’s keep these conversations going, long after the headlines die down.