The horrific sexual violence at Cornell University in the US should force us to confront the cultures and structures that enable sexual violence, protect those perpetrating and enabling it, and make survivors fight to be believed. We stand in solidarity with Jane Doe and with every victim and survivor.
The horrific sexual violence at Cornell University in the US should force us to confront the cultures and structures that enable sexual violence, protect those perpetrating and enabling it, and make survivors fight to be believed. We stand in solidarity with Jane Doe and with every victim and survivor.
Rape culture is often discussed as though it is the responsibility of a small number of individuals. But sexual violence does not exist in isolation from the society in which it happens. It is shaped by misogyny, entitlement, unequal power relations and the ways we are socialised to understand sex, consent and gender. Rape culture also does not survive through perpetrators alone. It survives through the enabling of harmful behaviours, and the institutions that prioritise reputation, power and self-preservation over the safety and dignity of those they serve. It exists in the jokes we dismiss, the behaviour we normalise and the warnings we ignore.
Equally concerning is the culture of disbelief that continues to shape how survivors are treated. Survivors are expected to remember traumatic experiences with perfect clarity, behave in ways that society considers respectable, and repeatedly justify why they deserve to be taken seriously. This scrutiny creates another layer of harm and sends a message that coming forward may mean putting every aspect of your life and character on trial. This culture of disbelief is also shaped by power, gender, race, class, sexuality, disability and institutional hierarchies. We must recognise that cultures of disbelief determine whose experiences are treated as credible, who is considered worth protecting, and who is expected to absorb the consequences of speaking out. Institutions, including universities, do not operate outside these power structures. They reproduce these dynamics through their policies, their responses to complaints, their allocation of resources and the decisions they make, which communicate whose interests matter.
Collective responsibility means recognising that we all have a role in challenging the conditions that enable sexual violence. It means challenging misogyny and entitlement in our communities, questioning the normalisation of harmful behaviours, taking disclosures seriously, intervening safely when we witness harm, and holding those in positions of power accountable.
The history of Goldsmiths shows us that change is possible through collective organising. It also reminds us how fragile that progress can be when institutions are not held accountable.
The CARE Project
The history of sexual violence and the culture of disbelief run deep into the history of higher education. We stand in solidarity with Jane Doe of Cornell University in the US, as well as every Jane Doe within the UK and the world.
While it is disheartening to see this case, it is, unfortunately, all too common. Yet, there is an equally empowering voice of resistance and pushback. Our CARE - Consent and Relationships Education - Project emerged from years of feminist activism and student-led work to challenge sexual violence through education, consent, bystander intervention and survivor support. We believe in the power of collective action because we know it works. Our community has a long history of challenging sexual harassment, institutional power and cultures of silence.
The story of CARE, formerly known as the ASV Project - Against Sexual Violence, started in 2014 when the online forum Strategic Misogyny started blogging about the prevalence of different forms of sexual violence on university campuses. In December 2015, Goldsmiths students independently organised the Sexual Harassment in Higher Education (SHEE) Conference. In May 2016, professor and activist Sara Ahmed resigned from Goldsmiths in protest over the institution’s failure to address sexual harassment in a robust and sustainable way, which kicked off a chain of responses and letters. Throughout the next year, different student-led actions raised awareness of sexual violence on campus through workshops and craftivism sessions, and policies were updated by the college. Goldsmiths and the SU secured funding to create a programme that addresses sexual harassment in March 2017, and in January 2018, the university launched the Report & Support tool. Soon after, in February 2018, the SU began offering Active Bystander Training sessions and launched the Against Sexual Violence campaign, which a few years later, in October 2022, rebranded as the CARE Project.
Every Safe Culture Action workshop starts by acknowledging the prevalence of sexual violence within our communities and that there might be survivors in the space. We want to dismantle cultures of disbelief at Goldsmiths and beyond, but for that it’s important that all students attend our workshops and events, take time to reflect, and feel empowered to uphold consent in any context.
Upcoming SAFE CULTURE ACTION workshops:
Learn about consent, sexual violence, being an active bystander, and how to navigate Goldsmiths Report & Support.
In the Liberation Room (Goldsmiths SU)
(More tba after Reading Week)
Risks to campus safety
The CARE Project aims to create a culture of safety and solidarity on campus and in the local community. However, in order to successfully do that, we rely on mechanisms and institutional processes that are victim-led and accessible.
As of September 2026, Goldsmiths management has cut the role of Campus Support Officers, instead training security guards to be the ‘Campus Safety and Security Service’. This seriously limits the wellbeing support available and could have untold effects on the mental health of students.
What does this do to the sense of student wellbeing on campus?
CARE is in solidarity with the striking staff trying to protect education and student wellbeing. We are committed to offering ongoing support on campus.
If you would like to get involved or you have been impacted by sexual violence on campus, feel free to get in touch with us at bystander@goldsmithssu.org.