Cornell rape case exposes MeToo backlash: accuser's lawyer

A lawyer representing a Cornell University rape accuser, known as Jane Doe, has revealed the chilling backlash against her after she went public with her allegations. Thomas Giuffra told AFP that his client suffered doxxing, threats and harassment. Giuffra, who previously represented accusers of Harvey Weinstein, said the Cornell case exposes a backlash to the MeToo movement.

The lawyer blamed "people who felt that the status quo was being threatened" and "manosphere influencers who oppose feminism." Despite the intimidation, Giuffra said his client wants to use her lawsuit to bring about change at Cornell and other US universities. Cornell has announced preliminary reforms and commissioned an independent probe into its response to the 2024 incident, which allegedly involved seven male students assaulting a female student at a fraternity house.

The university leadership has faced criticism for its handling of the case, with Cornell's faculty recently voting no-confidence. New York's top prosecutor has launched a fresh criminal investigation into the rape allegations.