Statement on the Reported Rape and Death of Student at the Fashion Institute of Technology

The Alliance is heartbroken and outraged by the reported rape and death of a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology. We extend our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones, and our support to the surviving student and everyone affected by this violence.

Coming so soon after the allegations at Cornell, these reports underscore what those of us working in sexual violence response and prevention have long known: survivors too often encounter systems that fail to prioritize their safety, dignity, and wellbeing. Behind every headline is a person whose life, relationships, and future matter. Our response must reflect that humanity.

Sexual violence is a societal problem that extends far beyond any one campus. It persists in a culture that excuses coercion, minimizes harm, and questions the choices of those subjected to violence instead of holding those who cause it accountable. When we treat each case as an isolated tragedy, we fail to confront the conditions that allow sexual violence to happen again and again.

No person’s decision to drink, use drugs, attend a party, or invite someone into their room makes them responsible for being assaulted. Responsibility rests with the person who commits the violence. Institutions and communities have a responsibility to prevent harm and respond with urgency and care when it occurs.

That responsibility requires sustained investment in prevention, accessible survivor services, and systems that put safety and wellbeing first. Colleges, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and policymakers must ensure that people can seek help without blame, receive compassionate care, and make informed choices about what happens next.

We cannot keep asking survivors and grieving families to bear the cost of our collective failure to act. Every person deserves to pursue an education, build a future, and live without sexual violence. That must be the standard we organize around, invest in, and hold ourselves accountable to achieving.