A Stanford alumna, who was reportedly raped in her dorm room when she was 19, has publicly criticized the university for how it managed her case, noting that her alleged assailant is set to graduate this fall.
The woman, opting to remain anonymous, shared her experience in a candid piece for The Stanford Daily, the campus newspaper, where she accused school officials and law enforcement of prolonged inaction and errors, something that has left her fighting for justice for several years.
“For the past four years, I’ve tried to wrap my head around what happened, and what continues to unfold,” she expressed, questioning how the university allowed the student to continue on a path to graduation after determining he was responsible for multiple forms of rape.
She shared that Stanford’s Title IX investigation took two years, which forced her to avoid classes with him, worry about encountering him on campus, and miss opportunities, including a chance to study abroad, due to repeated delays in the proceedings.
Instead of being expelled, her case ultimately ended with a two-year suspension for the assailant, she stated.
The Stanford Daily reported reviewing emails, texts, and other documents that supported her account of events, making an exception to its usual policy of not using anonymous bylines.
This disclosure comes during the ongoing attention on the “Cornell 7” case, where a former Cornell student has accused seven fraternity members of sexual assault.
“Given the situation surrounding Cornell, I’ve had to confront the reality that, despite Stanford’s and law enforcement’s failures—mine and many others—they do not face similar consequences,” she wrote.
The survivor noted that Stanford police took four months to talk to witnesses and conduct phone interviews after she initially reported the incident.
In late 2023, the case was forwarded to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office by Stanford University Department of Public Safety.
However, when she later sought an update, she received conflicting information about the status of her case. According to her, while the DA’s office claimed to have sent it back for more investigation, campus police stated they hadn’t received anything.
It was only after she and her advocates followed up that police learned the submission had been incomplete and lacked vital witness reports.
In May 2024, a detective informed her that prosecutors had chosen to press charges, which the DA’s office confirmed. Yet, the charges weren’t officially logged in the system until five months later, despite her repeated inquiries.
In response to the delays, the office issued a brief apology: “I apologize for the delay.”
“Years of my life were squandered due to avoidable mistakes, extended delays, and the consistent failures of the institutions tasked with my case,” she reflected.
The criminal justice case remains unresolved, even after she graduated from Stanford and moved out of state to pursue further education.
She also raised concerns about the university not expelling her attacker, questioning, “If finding a student accountable for vaginally, digitally, and orally raping someone doesn’t lead to expulsion, what’s the threshold?”
Last year, after reaching out to Stanford Provost Jenny Martinez, she was referred to Patrick Dunkley, vice provost for institutional equity, access, and community.
He explained that the university would carry out a review of sanctions over the past five years, seeking patterns that could lead to more consistent outcomes, although she criticized them for not sharing the results of this review.
The California Post has contacted Stanford University, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, and the Stanford University Department of Public Safety for comments.
