Josh Gad and Devon Sawa Blast Cornell 7 Over Alleged Rape as Florence Pugh Demands Men Speak Up

Josh Gad and Devon Sawa are speaking out about the Cornell 7—the seven men named as defendants in a civil lawsuit involving allegations of gang rape in 2024. Gad found it disturbing that there appeared to be a lack of accountability after Jane Doe was allegedly sexually assaulted at a fraternity at the prestigious Cornell University in New York.

'When we start setting a precedent that our girls and women can be brutally raped, and the resulting disciplinary action is to hand out (checks notes) ESSAYS... and about why it was wrong to brutally violate an innocent girl, we have lost our f****** minds,' Gad posted on Instagram.

'Violent and Sick Criminal Act'

It has been widely reported, following the filing of the lawsuit, that while two of the defendants were expelled, the others 'were afforded the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays,' according to the complaint. This has horrified and enraged many people, including Gad and Florence Pugh, who spoke out against the alleged assault and the university's handling of the case.

Cornell strongly denied that essay-writing was the only disciplinary consequence imposed on the defendants. 'Any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false. A continuation of the false narrative that there were minimal consequences in this case is irresponsible, will make survivors feel less safe and supported, and will perpetuate the underreporting of sexual assault,' Kyle Kimball, vice president for university relations, said in a statement.

However, Cornell did not provide further details about the individual sanctions, citing federal privacy laws. Meanwhile, prosecutors in Tompkins County, New York, have reopened the criminal investigation into the alleged assault.

Social Media Blast

The case has also prompted a wave of social media reactions, with some users sharing photographs of the seven defendants and demanding accountability. Veteran actor Devon Sawa was among those who shared photographs of the Cornell 7, writing: 'Here they are, the biggest pieces of shit on the planet.'

In another angry social media post, Sawa gave Cornell a different name. Gad also rejected the suggestion that the alleged assault was a 'mistake' from which the 'promising' and 'bright' Cornell students could learn.

'That's not a "mistake..." That's a violent and sick criminal act that doesn't take a f****** Cornell degree to understand is evil... This isn't an Oopsie Daisy. It's the destruction of a life. And we are sending a profoundly disturbing message of our inability to hold anyone accountable that this is OK,' Gad also said.

Pugh also shared an eight-slide statement condemning the alleged assault. She called on men to speak out against violence perpetrated by other men. 'This is really the moment where we need our men to be as horrified and as sickened as us,' she said.

Men Must Step Up as Allies

According to a 2018 University of Southern California (USC) article, women experience assault and rape at an approximately 87 per cent higher rate than men. However, men are important allies: 'Broad cultural change begins with individuals, which means that it's essential for men to speak up when they encounter problematic behaviors in their daily lives.'

Aside from Gad and Sawa, former 'South Park' writer Toby Morton has also created a website intended to document Jane Doe's account of the case.