Survey reveals campus sexual assault and harassment

The 2025 Cornell Survey of Sexual Assault and Related Misconduct showed a rise in the number of students who said they experienced nonconsensual sexual contact, as the percentage of students who responded to the biennial survey dropped by more than half.

The survey, conducted in accordance with New York state law, provides insight into students' experiences with sexual misconduct, harassment and related behaviors across Cornell's campuses. This year, 15% of respondents reported experiencing nonconsensual sexual contact since coming to Cornell, compared with 11% in 2023.

The 2025 survey was administered during the spring semester to a random sample of 6,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students enrolled at the Ithaca, Geneva, Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell Tech campuses resulting in a participation rate of 15% (926 student respondents) - a 60% decline from previous years (36% in 2023 and 38% in 2021).

"Sexual misconduct of any kind cannot and will not be tolerated in the Cornell community, and it is always concerning when we see these numbers rising," said Ryan Lombardi, vice president for student and campus life and co-chair of the Cornell Coalition on Sexual Violence Prevention. "I'm grateful to the students who shared their experiences through this survey so we may maintain our commitment to addressing the prevalence with care and urgency."

According to survey results, the rise in nonconsensual sexual contact is driven primarily by undergraduate women, 35% of whom reported experiences during their Cornell career, up from 23% in 2023. Nearly half of all students who responded (49%) reported experiencing sexual or gender-based harassment, an increase from 45% in 2023. Survey responses around stalking behavior - which can include unwanted messages, pictures, or videos in addition to unwanted physical presence - also increased to 17% in 2025 from 13% in 2023.

The percentage of respondents identifying as transgender, gender nonconforming, questioning or nonbinary rose to 6% in 2025 from 2% in 2021, but the rate of nonconsensual sexual contact reported by these students has continued to decline -19% in 2021 to 13% in 2023, and now 11% in 2025.

Many respondents chose not to answer key questions about their demographic backgrounds or the circumstances surrounding reported incidents of assault or misconduct, making it difficult for researchers to be as certain that estimates of nonconsensual sexual behavior are as accurate as in past surveys. As a result, the 2025 data should be interpreted with greater caution than findings from prior SARM survey administrations, officials said.

"When more students take the time to complete campus surveys in full, we gain a clearer understanding of how campus concerns, such as violence and related misconduct, affect our community," said Laura Weiss, program director of the Sexual Harassment and Assault - Response and Education (SHARE) Office. "Comprehensive data allows us to strengthen prevention efforts, guide meaningful change, and provide the right resources and care for those who have been impacted."

Survey questions are updated periodically to reflect national reporting trends, and results are used by the university to evolve programs and support services. While each institution creates surveys to reflect its specific population and needs, Cornell's results are generally consistent with those reported on surveys at other campuses, according to university officials.

"Seeing these results strengthens our resolve to continue to adjust and adapt methods to address these issues and change our campus culture for the better," Lombardi said. "With the development and administration of sexual violence prevention programs and initiatives like the recently formed Presidential Task Force on Campus Sexual Assault, there are frameworks in place to support and unify efforts across campus."

While awareness of support services on campus, including the SHARE office and websiteand the newly formed Cornell Office of Civil Rights,has grown in recent years and months, many students still reported that their negative experience is "not serious enough" to report or address through official channels. Of the students in 2025 who said they had experienced nonconsensual sexual contact, only 23% contacted a formal resource. That is up from 11% in 2023, but still not as high as it should be, Lombardi said.

"I encourage all students to become familiar with the resources here and with the work being done in the context of our sexual violence prevention initiatives," Lombardi said. "We are working across the Cornell community to cultivate a more supportive campus and promote healthy relationships, and to ensure we have clear, coordinated, and consistent responses to incidents and accountability for offenders."

With an emphasis on encouraging bystanders to intervene and fostering healthier social environments, Cornell's Sexual Violence Frameworkand support programs educate the community and guide responses to sexual assault - including coordinated victim support and enforcement of university policies and applicable laws. Many of these resources are housed centrally on the SHARE website, which provides an overview and quick links to education and victim advocacy resources, emergency services, confidential support, health care and reporting options.

Lombardi and Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Christine Lovely co-chair Cornell's Coalition on Sexual Violence Prevention. The coalition will continue to review the survey to identify opportunities to improve or expand Cornell's existing education, intervention and prevention strategies.