"You carry it with you": Justine Pissott breaks her silence with heartbreaking sexual assault revelation amid Cornell 7 case

Justine Pissott has spoken publicly about surviving sexual assault, explaining why the continuing attention around the Cornell 7 case has been especially difficult for her. The Las Vegas Aces guard shared the deeply personal message on Instagram as public discussion intensified around allegations involving seven former Cornell University fraternity members. Rather than focusing only on the allegations, Pissott used her platform to highlight the lasting impact trauma can have on survivors and the importance of offering compassion instead of questioning how they respond.Justine Pissott shares personal sexual assault experiencePissott, 22, said the Cornell case brought back emotions connected to her own experience. In a message shared on September 29, she explained that she had rarely spoken about what happened to her but felt compelled to do so after seeing the public reaction to the case.“This is a vulnerable message but something I want to share,” Pissott began. “As someone who has been drugged and rap--, the Cornell 7 situation has been really hard for me to see. It hits a place in me that I don’t talk about often.”She went on to describe how the effects of sexual assault can continue long after the incident itself.“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.”Pissott also addressed the scrutiny survivors can face when they choose to speak about their experiences.Cornell 7 case sparks wider conversation about survivorsThe basketball player said people often ask why survivors waited to speak, remained silent or behaved differently afterwards. She argued that trauma does not follow one predictable pattern.She also expressed support for the woman at the centre of the Cornell case and said survivors should not feel pressured to respond in a particular way.Pissott said she was not sharing her story to receive sympathy. Instead, she wanted other survivors to know they were not alone.“And if sharing even a small part of my story makes another survivor feel less alone, then it’s worth it,” Pissott wrote.She ended by offering encouragement to survivors and calling for an environment where people can speak about sexual assault without being judged for how they coped with the experience.The Cornell case involves a civil complaint filed by a former student against Cornell University and seven Chi Phi fraternity members. The allegations remain allegations, and the defendants’ legal responses are part of the ongoing proceedings.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.