Olivia Rodrigo calls out Cornell and "every institution who protects rapists"

Olivia Rodrigo is the latest musician to publicly condemn Cornell University over the lawsuit alleging that seven members of a campus fraternity drugged and gang raped a young woman in 2024. She shared her statement on her Instagram Story.

"Shame on Cornell and on every institution who protects rapists and abusers over women," Rodrigo wrote, adding that she stands with Jane Doe, as the plaintiff is identified in the suit. She said the woman's bravery is being felt across the country, that the crimes will not go unpunished, and that the failure of those who could have intervened matters too. Rodrigo followed the post by sharing images of "Carry That Weight," the 2014 performance art piece by a Columbia University student.

She joins a growing list of artists who addressed the case in recent days. On Sunday (Oct. 4), LA dream-pop band Sunday (1994) played Austin City Limits, where singer Paige Turner held up a sign demanding punishment for the accused. On Thursday (Oct. 1), Frank Iero performed with L.S. Dunes wearing a shirt with a blunt message aimed at the defendants.

Before them, on Wednesday (Sept. 30), Lzzy Hale posted a lengthy statement on Instagram targeting both the alleged attackers and anyone who witnesses an assault and stays silent, including people who saw it discussed in a group chat. She also went after figures in positions of power who decline to hold the men accountable or hand down token punishments.

In August, Rodrigo raised $20 million for women's rights causes through the first edition of her Daisy Chain Fields festival.