Florence Pugh Condemns Cornell Assault Lawsuit

Florence Pugh has publicly condemned a civil lawsuit alleging that a former Cornell University student was drugged and sexually assaulted by members of the Chi Phi fraternity, urging men to speak out against sexual violence. The allegations, which concern an incident in October 2024, have not been adjudicated. Cornell says it investigated and that the fraternity chapter remains barred from campus, but has declined to disclose individual disciplinary outcomes, citing student privacy. In a statement posted to social media, Pugh said the allegations left her feeling uneasy, sick and anxious. She called on men to be as horrified as women and to help challenge behavior and silence that enable sexual violence. She also expressed support for the former student, whose lawsuit is brought anonymously, and criticized what she viewed as institutions giving greater weight to accused students’ futures than to survivors’ wellbeing. The civil complaint names Cornell, Chi Phi-related entities and seven current or former students as defendants.