Writing in MedPage Today, physician Charulata Ramaprasad draws on her clinical experience and the Cornell 7 case to argue that sexual assault survivors face systemic barriers to adequate care. She notes that survivors may live hours from the nearest sexual assault forensic exam site, and that even when care is available, it often misses key steps—such as screening for STIs, hepatitis B and C, and offering HIV post-exposure prophylaxis. In the Cornell case, the patient's doctor reportedly did not follow up on a disclosed urinary tract infection, illustrating how routine encounters can fail to address trauma.
The piece emphasizes that institutional betrayal—a concept from betrayal trauma theory—deepens the psychological and physical toll of assault. Ramaprasad cites research linking such betrayal to higher rates of PTSD, anxiety, and physical distress. She contrasts this with the emerging idea of "institutional courage," but argues that universities and healthcare systems rarely face lasting consequences for mishandling cases, leaving survivors without accountability or closure.
Ramaprasad also points to policy shifts that have weakened protections for students, including the rescission of Obama-era Title IX guidance and recent changes that reduce investigation requirements. Citing data that 13% of undergraduates experience rape or sexual assault, she contends that federal inaction fails to incentivize schools to protect survivors. The piece concludes that being heard is necessary but insufficient—survivors need concrete institutional change, not just empathy. As a single opinion piece, it offers one clinician's perspective rather than a broad consensus, but it aligns with established research on trauma and institutional harm. (Note: This article discusses sexual assault; resources like 988 are available for those in crisis.)