Florence Pugh condemned fraternity culture after speaking out about sexual assault allegations involving a former Cornell University student. The actress also shared a separate report about an alleged assault at a University of Chicago fraternity house. She called the culture surrounding such spaces “rotten.”
Pugh’s comments followed reports involving a former Cornell student. She accused seven men of drugging and raping her at a fraternity party in October 2024. The woman, identified as Jane Doe, later sued Cornell University and the fraternity members. According to her attorney, Cornell expelled two accused students following an investigation. Others received lesser sanctions.
Florence Pugh condemns frat culture over sexual assault concerns
Pugh first addressed the Cornell allegations in a lengthy Instagram statement. She said the case left her feeling “uneasy and sick and anxious.” She also urged men to take a stronger role in challenging sexual violence.
“This is really the moment where we need our men to be as horrified and as sickened as us,” Pugh wrote. She also questioned the silence of people who might know about planned abuse and fail to intervene.
As per Variety, her criticism then extended beyond the Cornell case.
In another Instagram Story, Pugh shared a Chicago Sun-Times report about an alleged sexual assault at a University of Chicago fraternity house. She directly criticized frat house culture in her caption.
“Frat houses breed possibility and opportunity for rape and sexual assault,” Pugh wrote. “The concept, the morals and the culture is rotten. Shut these torture houses down.”
She then connected the latest report back to the earlier Cornell controversy.
“This is clearly happening everywhere,” she continued. “The Cornell 57 rage didn’t reach the right people.”
Pugh also criticized the way colleges and universities handle allegations of sexual violence. In her longer statement, she argued that institutions too often protect accused men. Meanwhile, survivors continue living with the consequences of abuse.
“We are not hard enough on those that want to damage human lives,” she wrote.
The actress ended her Cornell statement by calling for greater support and accountability.
“There is no equality until we can say we feel safe,” she wrote. “Be angry for us. Please.”
Pugh later said some followers initially could not access the Instagram post. She questioned whether the platform had restricted it because she discussed rape. The supplied source said the apparent restriction later disappeared.
