University Statements

Dear Cornell Community,

Every two years Cornell conducts a survey, in accordance with New York state law (PDF), to measure students’ knowledge of the university’s policies, procedures, and resources related to sexual assault, sexual and gender-based harassment, stalking, and dating and domestic violence, and any of their experiences of such incidents, while attending Cornell.

The 2025 Cornell Survey of Sexual Assault and Related Misconduct (SARM) was administered during the spring semester to a random sample of 6,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students enrolled at the Ithaca, Cornell AgriTech, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Cornell Tech campuses. The survey, completed by 926 students, offers insights to inform ongoing sexual violence prevention and victim support efforts across our campuses. Cornell is committed to applying comprehensive public health measures to address sexual misconduct, which has no place on or off our campuses.

With a 15% response rate, the 2025 SARM survey represents a 60% decline from previous years (36% in 2023 and 38% in 2021). This reduced response rate makes it more difficult to analyze the data, especially for students from less represented backgrounds, and limits the reliability of estimates of nonconsensual sexual contact and related harms.

Despite this, the 2025 survey results are consistent with national data and findings at peer institutions. A summary of results and data tables can be found on the Sexual Harassment and Assault – Response and Education (SHARE) website. Below is an overview of this year’s survey results.

• Increased Prevalence of Sexual Misconduct: 15% of respondents reported experiencing nonconsensual sexual contact (NSC) since entering Cornell—an increase from the 11% reported in 2023 and 2021. This rise is driven primarily by undergraduate women, whose experiences reported in the survey increased from 23% in 2023 to 35% in 2025.
• Harassment and Stalking Trends: Nearly half of respondents (49%) reported experiencing sexual or gender-based harassment, up from 45% in 2023 and 44% in 2021. Stalking reports also increased, with 17% of respondents affected in 2025 compared to 13% in 2023 and 5% in 2021.
• Domestic and Dating Violence: 19% of respondents reported experiencing some form of domestic or dating violence by partners, with verbal abuse being most common.
• Awareness and Knowledge Gaps: Awareness of support services like the SHARE website and Title IX coordinator has grown, as 23% of students who responded as having experienced NSC in 2025 contacted a formal resource—up from 11% in 2023. However, many students indicate their experiences are “not serious enough” to report, despite the university’s education and outreach on sexual misconduct prevention and resources. This underscores the importance of peer support and bystander intervention. Encouragingly, students overwhelmingly agree on the importance of speaking up and intervening in harmful situations.
• Context of Incidents: Most incidents occurred in campus-affiliated settings such as residence halls and fraternity houses. Alcohol was involved in over half of reported NSC cases, and 50% of victims reported being incapacitated during the incident.

We thank all survey participants for sharing their experiences. The findings highlight the need for continued strategic public health prevention efforts. Cornell uses a comprehensive, public health framework to address these issues, including upstream approaches to promote bystander intervention and create healthier social environments, wide-ranging programs and resources to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct, including education and coordinated victim support, and access to confidential resources. A full list of resources is available on the SHARE website.

In spring 2025, the university launched a Presidential Task Force on Campus Sexual Assault. The group, focused on the Ithaca campus, is charged with developing a holistic framework for education, prevention, and response to sexual assault, with recommendations expected later this academic year.

We encourage everyone at Cornell to review the full 2025 SARM report and data tables and to join us in our committed, ongoing efforts to foster a safer, more respectful campus environment for all.

Sincerely,

Ryan Lombardi
Vice President for Student and Campus Life

Christine Lovely
Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Brittney Blakeney
Executive Director, Office of Civil Rights and Investigations, Weill Cornell Medicine