Florence Pugh slams Instagram after post on Cornell sexual assault case is allegedly blocked from 'right people'
Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault which some readers may find distressing.
Florence Pugh has claimed that Instagram 'decided to block' her post about an alleged sexual assault incident that took place at Cornell University two years ago.
The 30-year-old actress released a lengthy statement in support of a former Cornell student who has accused seven men of raping and drugging her at a frat house party in October 2024.
Identified only as 20-year-old Jane Doe at the time, the former student's attorney noted that following an internal investigation at the university, none of the seven men were arrested.
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Instead, two of the students were expelled, while the remaining accused faced so-called punishments including temporary suspensions, workshops and essay-writing assignments.
Posting to Instagram on Sunday (September 27), Pugh described the alleged incident as a 'horrific act'.
"I'm processing quietly and watching everything and everyone and every man. I have a few thoughts on this horrific act that happened at Cornell College in 2024. I know this has happened before, and I hate the idea of it happening again," she wrote.
The star further added: "A drugged gang rape takes action and conversations. It immediately makes me wonder - had it been in the works for a while?
"Was the damage of this poor woman’s body thought about over and over before? Every single person who knew or heard about this happening, should be looked at with serious concern. They are as evil as those planning it.
"To know that a torture as violent as rape is about to happen 'upstairs' and not do ANYTHING ABOUT IT, is sick, cowardly and cold."
But just hours after the post, Pugh was informed by fans that her post had seemingly been 'blocked' or restricted for people to view.
"Instagram decided to block my post from getting in front of the right people," she alleged.
"Tut tut tut. Oh dear. That doesn’t look great does it? Here’s another go at it in case you were one of those people that can no longer see my post."
During her original statement, Pugh claimed that as a society, 'we are not hard enough on those that want to damage human lives'.
"I salute all those at the college that are fighting for that girl, exposing those boys and making life unbearably impossible to find joy during their terms," she said.
"They should not be allowed to walk freely like the rest of us who treasure and care for souls."
The actress continued that she was 'no longer tired' by the issue, but 'enraged'.
"Colleges/schools/universities repeatedly fail women around the world," she said. "You build men that get taught through time and time again that they can do extreme harm and that they won’t be harmed in return."
Following the allegations, Kyle Kimball, Vice President for University Relations at Cornell, issued a statement, which read: "Cornell University supports the decision of the Tompkins County District Attorney (DA) to provide an opportunity for the victim’s story in the 2024 Chi Phi fraternity sexual assault case to be heard by a criminal grand jury.
"Cornell also conducted a thorough Title IX investigation, which is separate from a criminal proceeding, over the course of several months. During that investigation, temporary suspensions and other restrictive measures were used. After investigation, and pursuant to federal law, the matter was sent to a hearing where a panel of trained faculty and staff heard evidence over multiple days.
"The complainant and respondents had the opportunity to testify and present evidence. At its conclusion, the hearing panel issued a range of sanctions, which included expulsions and suspensions from Cornell. None of the individuals charged were offered the opportunity to write essays as a sole consequence of their involvement."
The statement further added: "In addition, the involved fraternity chapter was closed in 2024 and remains barred from campus.
"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."
A Meta Spokesperson also said in a statement to LADBible Group: "We have rules on content describing sexual violence and exploitation in order to protect victims, warn people before seeing content they might find upsetting, and prevent teens from seeing content not appropriate for their age. A label was initially applied to the post, warning people that the content may be sensitive before they click through. We removed this label upon further review after we determined that it qualified for a newsworthy allowance. The post is now live and visible without restrictions for adults."
If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org.
Topics: Instagram, Florence Pugh, US News, School, Crime
Mia Williams