WNBA star shares emotional account of being drugged and raped in solidarity with Cornell victim

J ustine Pissott has revealed she was drugged and raped as the rookie WNBA star spoke publicly in support of a Cornell University student who has accused seven fraternity members of sexual assault. The 22-year-old Las Vegas Aces player shared her account on Instagram Tuesday, explaining that the allegations surrounding Cornell had forced her to confront an experience she rarely discusses publicly.

Pissott said the case had been particularly difficult to follow because of the trauma associated with her own experience. She also rejected the idea that survivors should be expected to react in a particular way after an assault. “As someone who has been drugged and rap**, the Cornell 7 situation has been really hard for me to see,” Pissott wrote. “It hits a place in me that I don't talk about often. When something like this happens to you, it doesn't just end when that night ends. “You carry it with you. The confusion, the pieces you can't remember, questioning yourself, blaming yourself, and trying to understand how someone could take advantage of you when you weren't even able to protect yourself. “And then you see people questioning survivors. Asking why they didn't speak sooner, why they stayed quiet, why they acted a certain way afterward. But unless you've been through it, you really don't understand what trauma can do to a person. “There is no ‘right’ way to respond to something that never should've happened to you in the first place.” The Cornell allegations stem from a civil lawsuit filed by an unnamed female student, identified as Jane Doe . She alleges that multiple members of the Chi Phi fraternity sexually assaulted her after alcohol and ketamine were involved. The complaint alleges the assault lasted for hours and that other fraternity members were encouraged to participate. The allegations have not been proven in court, and three of the seven accused men have publicly denied the claims.

Cornell 7 case draws international attention

The Cornell case has drawn attention well beyond the university. Prosecutors confirmed that a criminal investigation had been reopened, with Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten saying he intended to “seek justice.” Several public figures have also addressed the allegations. Florence Pugh said she felt “uneasy and sick and anxious” after reading about the case, while Mariska Hargitay 's Joyful Heart Foundation called for survivors to be believed and kept informed. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also addressed the allegations during a town hall in Ithaca, criticizing what she described as a culture that allowed the alleged behavior to occur. And Pissott said she wanted other survivors to know they were not isolated in dealing with the aftermath of sexual violence. “My heart truly hurts for the survivor in the Cornell 7 situation,” Pissott continued. “I pray God covers her through all of this. I pray He protects her mind and her heart while something so painful and personal is being discussed by people who don't even know her. “I pray He gives her strength on the days where it feels like too much and reminds her that what was done to her will never define who she is. I don't speak about my experience for sympathy. I speak about it because I know how lonely this kind of pain can feel. “And if sharing even a small part of my story makes another survivor feel less alone, then it's worth it. To her and every survivor carrying something similar, I see you. I'm praying for you. “And I pray we continue creating a world where survivors feel safe enough to use their voice without being torn apart for how they survived.”