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Cornell 7 case: Protest near University of Minnesota
About 200 people gathered at Van Cleve Park near the University of Minnesota to support the alleged victim in the Cornell Seven case and call for stronger campus safety protections. FOX 9's Maury Glover has more.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A rally just off the University of Minnesota campus became a public show of support for the alleged victim in the Cornell Seven case.
A cause to rally around
What we know:
About 200 people gathered at Van Cleve Park near the University of Minnesota for a show of solidarity and a call for accountability in how colleges handle sexual assaults. Demonstrators said the Cornell rape case has struck a nerve across the country.
'The facts of the case are brutal'
Local perspective:
"I think there's a little of Jane in a lot of us in a lot of ways," said Kinsey Scott, a St. Paul College student.
Scott also said, "It's a major concern. I've definitely been in situations that aren't favorable, but I've certainly felt like this isn't treated as a concern."
Calls for accountability at colleges
What they're saying:
"Sexual violence really thrives in silence and darkness. A really big part of the fight against it is to talk about it and make sure it doesn't go unseen and unpunished," said Kristen Bledsoe of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee.
Demonstrators said they want justice for Jane Doe, the University of Minnesota to better protect its students and more accountability in how campuses handle sexual assaults. They also raised alarm about rollbacks to Title IX, which they said threaten the ability of victims of sexual assault to prosecute their abusers.
'I hope she doesn't feel as alone'
What they're saying:
After listening to a number of speakers, the crowd took its message to Dinkytown and Fraternity Row. The march was part of an effort to end sexual violence and make sure college campuses are safe for everyone.
"We don't want to have to be out here on a street corner asking for what should be basic human dignity. I think people shouldn't have to live in fear of this kind of violence," said Fae Hodges of Students for a Democratic Society.
The rally was part of a national day of action, and similar protests are happening across the country.
"I think today is a really great way to say, no, we're not paralyzed by our fear. We're together, and let's be together in this," said Scott.