09/10/2026
Consent does not end when what happened to someone becomes public.
The Cornell 7 case has drawn widespread attention. At the centre of it is a person with a right to privacy, dignity and care. Once something this personal becomes a headline, a post or a debate, it can start to feel like public property. It never is.
How violence is experienced, and who gets believed, is shaped by race, gender, class, sexuality, disability, religion, migration status and power. Universities, media outlets and platforms decide whose voices are heard and which narratives get repeated. That power carries responsibility. So does ours.
Being a bystander does not stop when we go online. Every comment, repost and reaction shapes the environment around the person at the centre.
We want to direct attention towards the survivors, advocates and organisations already doing this work. Learn from them, follow them and support them.
As an advocacy organisation, we have a responsibility to speak and a responsibility to recognise where our authority ends. That is why we have consulted , a national campaign from the Dublin R**e Crisis Centre dedicated to promoting consent awareness through education, research, and community engagement.
Their survey gives people an opportunity and the space to share their views. Which in turn will help identify gaps in education, culturally competent , and shape more inclusive, community-led conversations and resources around consent. Check the link in bio to have your say.
If you have been affected by sexual violence, you deserve support, whenever you are ready for it. The Dublin R**e Crisis Centre’s 24-hour national helpline is free and confidential: 1800 77 8888.
Many people who see this post will carry their own experiences of sexual violence. Please keep them in mind in what you share, here and elsewhere.
