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GRAND HYATT GOA, INDIA

CHICAGO (October 5, 2026) — Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) is accelerating growth opportunities across its brand portfolio with new financing solutions, more efficient new-build prototypes and conversion-focused brands that give owners more ways to bring hotels to market.

Hyatt has significant room to expand across more than 300 U.S. submarkets, representing meaningful market opportunity for owners. Hyatt also has substantial opportunity to deepen its brand presence in markets that already have a Hyatt hotel, with an average of four Hyatt hotels per market versus 14 among its largest competitors. Together, this represents meaningful white space for Hyatt and prospective owners to pursue disciplined, intentional growth.

“Owners are navigating a complex development landscape, and the right owner-aligned growth strategy looks different from market to market,” said Julienne Smith, Head of Americas Growth, Hyatt. “Hyatt is in a strong position to support market growth with a broad portfolio of brands, flexible development options, the reach of the World of Hyatt loyalty platform and the support of our powerful commercial engine. That combination creates opportunities both in markets where Hyatt is underrepresented and in established markets where we can transfer continued demand.”

New Financing Solutions Designed to Support Hyatt Studios Growth

As owners look to bring new hotels to market amid elevated construction and capital costs, Hyatt is working to help make new-build development more attainable. Earlier this year, Hyatt and HALL Structured Finance announced plans for a structured loan program that is being designed to provide qualified developers with a dedicated financing solution for new-build Hyatt Studios projects across the U.S.

Specifically designed for Hyatt Studios projects, the program will offer HALL’s hospitality lending and capital-structuring expertise. It is intended to provide developers financing solutions tailored to support project execution and construction needs while offering the potential for greater leverage than conventional lending structures at market interest rates, subject to underwriting and project qualifications.

With over 70 hotels in the pipeline totaling more than 8,200 rooms, the Hyatt Studios brand continues to gain momentum as an upper-midscale, extended-stay brand designed around efficient design, a lean operating model and flexible brand and design elements.

More Efficient New-Build Prototypes Improve Owner Economics

In addition to financing solutions, Hyatt is using owner feedback to optimize its hotel prototypes and improve development economics. The Gen 4 Hyatt Place prototype is designed to reduce construction complexity and ongoing operating requirements while preserving the functionality and guest experience owners and travelers expect from Hyatt Place hotels.

The prototype reduces the key count from 140 to 127, decreases the overall building area by nearly 20% and shifts the building type from a six-story steel-and-concrete to a four-story wood structure. Together, these changes are projected to reduce building costs by approximately 25%. The result is a more efficient new-build model intended to improve profitability and return on investment for one of Hyatt’s long-standing select-service brands.

Hyatt is applying the same feedback-driven approach to newer brands, like Hyatt Studios, as they continue to rapidly scale. Initially concepted in collaboration with our owners, the updated Hyatt Studios prototype reduces the standard key count and overall square footage, while adding refinements such as an expanded three-bay lobby, required meeting space and updated building systems.

Hyatt’s Conversion-Focused Brands Help Owners Open Faster

For owners seeking to enter markets more quickly or adapt existing assets, Hyatt’s conversion-focused brands provide a compelling growth path.

Within the Luxury and Lifestyle portfolios, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt and JdV by Hyatt brands allow owners to preserve the character of distinctive hotels while benefiting from Hyatt’s global distribution network, World of Hyatt loyalty program and commercial engine. Three Luxury and Lifestyle conversion properties have recently joined Hyatt on the West Coast:

- Hotel Solaya, JdV by Hyatt, Scottsdale, AZ

- Hotel 1000, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, Seattle, WA

- The Georgian, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, Santa Monica, CA

Upcoming openings in the Americas include:

- Hotel Madeira, JdV by Hyatt, Madeira, FL (November 2026)

- Miramar Beach Resort, JdV by Hyatt, St. Pete Beach (Q1 2027)

The conversion opportunity extends into the Essentials portfolio, where the Hyatt Select and Unscripted by Hyatt brands offer two pathways to conversion for qualified assets. Hyatt Select is an upper-midscale model that delivers modern design, thoughtful comfort and reliable consistency through a flexible, cost-effective model. Developed to perform in secondary and tertiary markets, the brand continues to scale with approximately 50 hotels in the pipeline. Recent openings and pipeline properties include:

- Hyatt Select Williamsburg, Williamsburg, VA

- Hyatt Select Valdosta, Valdosta, GA

- Hyatt Select Boston / Woburn / Burlington, Woburn, MA (October 2026)

- Hyatt Select Salt Lake City Airport, Salt Lake City, UT (March 2027)

- Hyatt Select Prince Albert, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan (September 2027)

The Unscripted by Hyatt brand is a diverse collection of upscale hotels offering distinct, independent-spirited environments for self-sufficient travelers. Its adaptable model allows owners to design, program and service each property around the needs of their local markets. Launched just over a year ago, the brand has 15 properties in the pipeline. Recent and upcoming openings include:

- The 233 Suites, Unscripted by Hyatt, Mesa, AZ

- Hive House, Unscripted by Hyatt, Cary, NC

- Hotel Embarque, Unscripted by Hyatt, Phoenix, AZ (November 2026)

- Hotel BPM Brooklyn, Unscripted by Hyatt, Brooklyn, NY (June 2027)

Together, these initiatives support Hyatt’s continued brand growth and contribute to the company’s record global pipeline of more than 154,000 rooms. By giving owners more dynamic paths to pursue new-build and conversion opportunities, Hyatt is helping bring more hotels to markets where guests and World of Hyatt members are seeking more opportunities to stay with Hyatt.

For more information on developing with Hyatt, visit: www.hyatt.com/development.

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation 

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of June 30, 2026, the Company's portfolio included more than 1,500 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 83 countries across six continents. The Company's offering includes brands in the Luxury Portfolio, including Park Hyatt®, Alila®, Miraval®, Impression by Secrets, and The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®; the Lifestyle Portfolio, including Andaz®, Thompson Hotels®, The Standard®, Dream® Hotels, The StandardX®, Breathless Resorts & Spas®, JdV by Hyatt®, Bunkhouse® Hotels, and Me and All Hotels; the Inclusive Collection, including Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Hyatt Ziva®, Hyatt Zilara®, Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Hyatt Vivid® Hotels & Resorts, Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts, Alua Hotels & Resorts®, and Sunscape® Resorts & Spas; the Classics Portfolio, including Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Destination by Hyatt®, Hyatt Centric®, Hyatt Vacation Club®, and Hyatt®; and the Essentials Portfolio, including Caption by Hyatt®, Unscripted by Hyatt, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Studios®, Hyatt Select, and UrCove. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Mr & Mrs Smith, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar® DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions® technology services. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “likely,” “will,” “would” and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us and our management, are inherently uncertain.

Officials say investigation into Six Flags roller coaster death continues as the park prepares to reopen

ATLANTA (ANF/Gray News) — Six Flags Over Georgia reopens on Friday, less than a week after a man died falling off a roller coaster at the park.

The park will be open from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. for Fright Fest, a Halloween-themed event, as originally scheduled. Goliath, the roller coaster on which the accident happened, will remain closed.

On Monday, 42-year-old Hassan Kariem was ejected from the ride, hitting and injuring several other patrons before the fall, according to Cobb County police. His body was found underneath the roller coaster, and the park was evacuated.

Kariem’s niece was on the ride next to him, according to his brother-in-law, Joshua Nelson. Nelson said that Kariem’s restraint came undone as the ride dropped.

Cobb County and police officials on Friday said no new investigative findings were going to be announced but said the investigation into what happened is ongoing.

Cobb County Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid said the investigation into the accident is a priority for the county.

“Right now, our attention belongs to the people who were hurt,” Cupid said.

Cobb County police said they are assisting the state in its investigation. Police reported that the state is looking into the maintenance of the roller coaster. Cobb County police said if there are no criminal charges, the department’s case will close when the state finishes its investigation.

As the park prepares to reopen, park management called safety its highest priority.

In a statement released on Friday, Six Flags Over Georgia Park President Richard Pretlow said the park is “deeply saddened” by the death.

“As efforts to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident continue, we remain focused on supporting those affected and maintaining the safe operation of our park and attractions,” he said. “All other rides and attractions that were scheduled to operate will be available to guests, subject to normal operating conditions and availability.”

He added that millions of people safely enjoy rides and other attractions at Six Flags parks every year.

“While serious incidents of this nature are exceedingly rare, we never take responsibility to our guests for granted and remain committed to continuous learning and improvement,” Pretlow said.

Documents from the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire show the Goliath roller coaster passed its inspections from 2016 to 2026, with its most recent inspection in March noting only that “bushings” needed replacing. Ride manufacturers describe bushings as equipment that reduces friction and absorbs shock between the ride’s metal parts.

Earlier reports in 2016 and 2019 noted some corrosion and rust on parts of the ride, which records show were addressed.

Six Flags has also temporarily shut down nine rides across six parks that are similar to Goliath, which uses a lap restraint.

As park officials plan to reopen, some park-goers have overarching concerns about safety in the park.

Billy Giles said resuming operations so soon after a fatal incident leaves him questioning whether profits are taking priority over guest safety.

“I think it’s very inconsiderate. I don’t think they’re taking into account the family’s feelings. Not even just that family, everyone else in the Atlanta area who might be considering going to the park or who have even said I’m not going to the park at all,” he told ANF. “To see it open, I think that’s probably a bad look.”

Georgia Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner John King said his office is investigating the death. Inspectors have been on the ground looking at “every nook and cranny,” he added.

Copyright 2026 ANF via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Updated: 4 hours ago

|The district is asking voters to approve a four-year, non-recurring operational referendum to replace funding approved in 2022 that expires at the end of the 2026–27 school year.

Updated: 5 hours ago

|A person from Reedsburg has been arrested on a number of drug-related charges, Sauk County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday.

Updated: 5 hours ago

|The Madison Metropolitan School District announced six schools have earned top rankings among Wisconsin public schools in the latest U.S. News & World Report.

Updated: 5 hours ago

|Anthony Davis had 34 points and 12 rebounds in his debut with Washington, and the new-look Wizards beat the Milwaukee Bucks 128-116 in the season opener for both teams

Updated: 6 hours ago

|Jacobs pleaded no contest last month to misdemeanor counts of battery and criminal damage to property.

First Student shares update on Verona school bus driver investigation following arrest

VERONA, Wis. (WMTV) - An investigation into the Verona school bus driver who was previously arrested for operating while impaired shows the driver was not under the influence of alcohol, according to First Student.

The Verona Area School District shared a message with parents on Saturday, saying First Student, the transportation provider, informed the district that the incident appears to have been medically related.

First Student said it wishes the driver a full and speedy recovery.

“The safety of our students and the communities we serve remains our highest priority, and we continue to cooperate in the investigation,” First Student said.

On Thursday, Verona police said they received a report about dangerous driving while the bus was carrying students. Police located the bus near the intersection of Whalen Road and Fairview Terrace just after 4:15 p.m.

There were no reported injuries to students, drivers or members of the public, according to police.

The school district said the police department is still actively investigating and reviewing the circumstances around the event.

“We want to extend our deepest gratitude to all of the family members and community members who reported their concerns. Your vigilance and action ensured that emergency personnel and First Student could attend to the situation. We are incredibly thankful for a community that looks out for the safety and well-being of our students,” said Marcie Pfeifer-Soderbloom, public information officer for Verona Area School District.

The district said it does not have independent verification of the medical details.

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Copyright 2026 WMTV. All rights reserved.

5 adults, 1 child confirmed dead in Sauk County plane crash

SAUK COUNTY, Wis. (WMTV) - Six people have died in a plane crash in the Town of Dellona, Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister confirmed to WMTV Wednesday morning.

Meister confirmed five adults and one child were killed in that crash. He says these were the only people on board the six-passenger plane, and there were no survivors. WMTV 15 News is working to learn their names and ages.

The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office said the crash happened around 9:31 p.m. Authorities received several reports of a downed aircraft in the area of Park Lane. Law enforcement on scene confirmed this is a residential neighborhood near Mirror Lake State Park.

According to deputies, the plane was a fixed-wing Piper flying on a return trip from Kenosha to Menomonie.

Drone footage shows the wreckage from the crash site in a wooded area.

Authorities are also working to learn what transmissions the plane had with a nearby air traffic control tower, and if weather played a role in the crash.

“We know that they had contact with the tower prior to the crash,” said Meister. ”Investigators are looking into that today to find out what that communication was.”

The scene is secured as of 6:35 a.m. as investigators work to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash. Meister asked the public to avoid the area.

No one on the ground was hurt, and no buildings were damaged in the crash.

Randi Kubek, who lives near the site, said she was meditating in her home with her dogs when she heard an unmistakable sound.

“It was definitely a sound of a plane coming down,” Kubek said. “I head engines sputtering, it was cutting in and out. I knew this plane was in distress and it was getting so loud so fast. It sounded like the footage that you like see of World War II, Pearl Harbor, you know, planes losing altitude quickly. It was just not like any sound I have ever been personally a part of.”

She also says she saw lots of light in the sky, including lightning.

“The sky lit up, but I wasn’t sure whether that was more in a series of lightning that I had seen out in the sky or whether it was simultaneous with that crunching metal, the very loud crunching metal and an impact that I could feel in my house. I could feel it,” explained Kubek.

Kubek said she learned of the plane crash after a friend texted her about it.

Mark Schmitz works in the area. He says he heard loud sounds when he was outside with friends.

“Terrible. I remember that sound for quite a while now,” said Schmitz.

He says since the crash, the area has had lots of commotion with fire, EMS and law enforcement vehicles.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have been notified and will be assisting in the investigation.

The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Lake Delton Police Department, Delton Fire Department, Dells/Delton EMS, Sauk County Coroner’s Office, and Wisconsin State Patrol.

This is a developing story and will be updated when more information becomes available.

Click here to download the WMTV15 News app or our WMTV15 First Alert weather app.

Copyright 2026 WMTV. All rights reserved.

Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA), the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA), and the New Zealand Cargo Owners Council (NZCOC) are launching the inaugural Australia & New Zealand Shipping & Logistics Conference in Sydney, a new flagship event for the region’s freight, trade, and supply chain community.

Join us on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 August at the Sheraton Grand Sydney, Hyde Park, where the PayCargo team will be at our booth throughout the conference.

Find answers, access demos, and troubleshoot quickly.

Background

This Netherlands-based customs team in a major global freight forwarder processes 4,000 commercial invoices a month. While the broader business ran a highly efficient, lean operating model, the customs department still relied on manual data entry to process invoices one at a time.

98%

of invoices processed straight through, no human touch

3x

the volume on the same team, up to 12,000+ invoices

~10

operators freed from manual processing

Zero

manual typing during invoice processing

Challenge: Manual invoice typing created compliance risk at scale

For this customs team, manual data entry had become a major constraint on the operation. The group ran a highly efficient, lean operating model, yet its Netherlands customs department still relied on manual processes in an otherwise fast-digitizing organization, reconciling disparate data formats by hand.

A dedicated team of 10 operators handled around 4,000 commercial invoices every month, opening unstructured PDFs, finding the relevant fields and typing them into the core logistics system. In international trade, a single typing error can trigger customs fines, shipment delays and demurrage fees, so the manual model was a real compliance risk. And because volume could only grow by adding people, it capped the company’s ability to pursue new market opportunities.

Solution: Document Automation — From spreadsheets and phone calls to automation

To bring customs in line with the rest of the business, the forwarder modernized its end-to-end workflow with PayCargo, moving from spreadsheets and phone calls to automated, AI-powered processing. The platform turns unstructured PDF invoices into system-ready, structured data, building accuracy in at the point of entry:

- AI data extraction: PayCargo’s AI automatically identifies and captures the critical fields from every complex, unstructured commercial invoice

- Digital document management: Documents are ingested and archived digitally, removing manual upload cycles

- Seamless system integration: Extracted data flows straight into the forwarder’s logistics systems, replacing the spreadsheets and phone calls the customs team used to rely on

- Exception handling: The small share of complex cases is routed to the team for compliance review, so their time goes toward judgement calls instead of clerical re-typing

Result: 98% straight-through processing, no human touch

Measured results:

- 98% of invoices processed straight through, no human touch

- 3x the volume on the same team, up to 12,000+ invoices

- ~10 operators freed from manual processing

- Zero manual typing during invoice processing

Strategic Outcome:

Automating 98% of customs invoices lets the business grow without adding headcount: the same ten people can now handle triple the volume. Staff have moved from rote typing to high-value exception handling, resolving complex regulatory cases and compliance audits. Greater accuracy at entry lowers the risk of fines, while faster processing speeds customs clearance.

OATS Theory of Change

All social change implies a theory of change—a conceptual map of causes and effects, of linkages between action and outcomes. It is these inter-related assumptions about the mechanics of the world that underpin effective strategic thinking.

As an organization that has taught tens of thousands of classes to older adults determined to learn challenging new skills and information so that they can work, communicate, get around, and take care of themselves, OATS has developed a strong appreciation of the transformative potential of older adults. We have seen first-hand how much desire seniors have to remain independent, to continue learning and growing, and to contribute to the world around us.

1

It begins with the individual.

For us, change originates in the developmental spark that illuminates every participant at Senior Planet. It begins with individual transformation and recognition, and a refusal to be curtailed into marginalization or premature dependency.

2

Identity is central.

The way we see ourselves drives decisions about what’s possible and appropriate for us and our environment. If our lens is frailty and dependency, then we will envision change in that context. On the other hand, if we see ourselves as powerful and creative, then our orientation toward change will take that form instead.

3

Quality matters.

Change is difficult when the setting is a dingy concrete bunker illuminated with buzzing fluorescent lights. Change requires taking yourself seriously, “daring mighty things,” and creating experiences and settings where important results seem within reach.

4

Institutions matter.

Talented people working and learning together over time—properly resourced with a common set of norms and objectives—are critical to achieving lasting change at a meaningful scale.

5

From one to many.

Change flows from the individual to the community, and eventually to society at large. As individuals become confident in their own personal power of transformation, they find they can help others (which in turn makes them stronger themselves), and as their skills and networks develop they can contemplate changing society and policy.

OATS has developed a strong appreciation of the transformative potential of older adults. Our theory of change is rooted in observations of change, working in classrooms and community centers all over America side-by-side with older adults as they learn, share, and create. By joining our organizational mission and framework to the energy generated by our members, OATS is able to engineer new systems that are shaping the future of aging.

Once you see first-hand how much desire seniors have to remain independent, to continue growing and contributing, you have no choice but to build new models to help make those things happen. It’s what OATS does.

Introduction

Slavery, servitude, forced labour, and human trafficking (Modern Slavery) are global and growing issues. These have come to prominence given the rapid rise in global migration that exists in every region in the world and in all economies, whether industrialised or developing. They impact all sectors and industries. KMS Lighthouse has a zero-tolerance approach to Modern Slavery within our own operations and our supply chains. All stakeholders in our business and supply chain have a responsibility to be alert to these risks, however small. Whenever our staff have any concerns about issues at work, they are encouraged to speak to their human resources business partner.

Our Business and Supply Chains

KMS Lighthouse is a knowledge management solution provider developing its advanced knowledge management platforms to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency. As of the date of this statement, KMS Lighthouse operates in multiple countries including the US, UK, Australia, Italy, Israel, Portugal, Serbia and Singapore. The principal first-tier suppliers of our group companies comprise mostly software providers. While we currently source the majority of our products directly from countries that are not deemed at high risk of Modern Slavery, we recognize that there is a wider risk of modern slavery in the lower tiers of our supply chain and from our smaller suppliers.

Policies

KMS Lighthouse’s internal policies regarding employee behaviour are set out in our Code of Conduct. This covers related human rights areas such as discrimination and harassment. Specifically, we state that KMS Lighthouse does not permit or tolerate any form of discrimination and/or harassment based on an individual’s age, race, religious creed, colour, national origin, ancestry, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status and partnership status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and/or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, national origin (including language use restrictions) or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws. All forms of harassment and/or discrimination of, or by, employees, applicants, unpaid interns, volunteers, vendors, visitors, customers, and clients are strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated.

Our recruitment policy requires that KMS Lighthouse only uses reputable employment agencies to source labour and always verifies the practices of any new agency it is using before accepting workers from that agency.

Our Whistleblowing Policy, aimed at our employees, encourages team members to report any wrongdoing which they believe is ‘in the public interest’. We hope that if any of our team were to identify any cases or suspicions of Modern Slavery, that these would be reported pursuant to our Whistleblowing Policy. All reports are fully investigated and appropriate remedial actions taken.

Due Diligence and Risks

Before a supplier can enter into a contractual relationship with KMS Lighthouse, they need to undergo a take-on assessment. This results in identification and assessment of potential risk areas in KMS Lighthouse’s business and supply chains and lead to us introducing appropriate mitigating procedures, including monitoring, to minimise the likelihood of modern slavery and human trafficking arising.

Modern Slavery Training

Within KMS Lighthouse, we endeavour to provide sufficient training to enable our team to undertake their roles to the best of their abilities. Since the recognition by various countries that Modern Slavery is a risk within business, we are looking to develop training and capacity building for our team.

Prevention of Modern Slavery in Our Supply Chain

Our team is committed to taking forward our commitment to eradicate modern slavery in our supply chains. To do this we have embarked on the following programme:

We are committed to improving our understanding and management of modern slavery risks over time. We expect our approach to managing the risk of modern slavery to continue to evolve as we learn from the actions that we have set out above.

Last reviewed: December, 2024.

For survivors of sexual assault, social media can be a traumatizing place — a smiling picture of a person who questioned your story in one swipe, a news article about a similar act of violence in the next.

But over the past few weeks, content related to sexual assault has reached a fever pitch, as details about an alleged gang rape on Cornell University’s campus in October 2024 continue to emerge.

The accuser, a former student referred to as Jane Doe in a civil lawsuit filed last month, alleges multiple members of the Chi Phi fraternity plied her with drugs and alcohol before sexually assaulting her for hours.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has appointed the state’s Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor in a new criminal investigation, and in a statement Saturday, Cornell President Michael I. Kotlikoff said an outside law firm will be conducting an independent review of how the university handled the incident. He also called the allegations “deeply disturbing” and said they raise questions about the investigations that were conducted.

The university previously said in a statement that it conducted a monthslong Title IX investigation, which resulted in “a range of sanctions which included expulsions and suspensions,” but did not specify who received what outcome. The university also denied the claim in Doe’s lawsuit that the male students were allowed to write essays to “mitigate their conduct.”

The university and local authorities’ response to Doe’s case is at the center of the outcry among survivors, as are New York state’s controversial consent law and the SnapChat messages from fraternity members allegedly referring to Doe as “free p---y.”

With roughly one in four women experiencing sexual violence at college, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), the relatability may be inspiring more women to speak out, experts tell TODAY.com.

“I’ve seen a lot more people this time talking about how this is a systemic issue that is in part reflective of failures of federal policy around gender discrimination, and that students have been asking for more for a long time, and that’s really encouraging to me,” Nicole Bedera, Ph.D., a sociologist studying sexual violence who wrote a book on Title IX, tells TODAY.com.

When an Alleged Rape Case Goes Viral

There are some 15,700 posts on Instagram as of Oct. 6 using the hashtag #IamJaneDoe. The hashtag is also popular on TikTok, but the company did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for info on how many times it’s been used recently.

A RAINN spokesperson tells TODAY.com that calls to the National Sexual Assault Hotline were up about 60% last week. Monday, Sept. 28, saw a 25% rise, and for any given day the rest of the week, the increase was between 50-80%.

This jump isn’t as high as with some other major news moments, RAINN President Scott Berkowitz tells TODAY.com, but “this one feels like it’s going to stick around for a bit” because of the steady increase over several days. “It’s definitely building,” he adds.

While feeling re-traumatized is a theme among recent online posts from survivors, seeing content about sexual assault can also have positive effects, Bedera says.

“Is it triggering to hear about sexual assault? The overwhelming answer (in the research) is it depends. And the thing it depends on is the way we talk about it,” she explains.

Framing sexual violence as a problem that is not the fault of victims and that could be stopped some day is much more likely to help people feel empowered, she says. “It’s really about whether or not we’re telling survivors this should have happened to you or this should not have happened to you.”

One 2021 study, which looked at 207 female rape survivors, found that the #MeToo movement may change how survivors view their own experiences. Before #MeToo, participants were more likely to label a sexual assault as a rape if there was physical violence and force involved; after #MeToo, assaults without force or other violence were just as likely to be labeled rape.

“I do think that seeing and hearing about other stories in which there wasn’t physical violence, but it still was sexual assault or rape for other reasons, like coercion, positions of power, intoxication leading to lack of consent, can help individuals realize what happened (to them) also fits that,” explains Amie Newins, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at University of Central Florida and lead author of the study.

For survivors who feel beaten down by Cornell content, that’s normal too, says Nancy Glass, Ph.D., associate director of Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health who studies gender-based violence.

“It can remind them of the lack of support they received, and it can remind them of the doubt that they may experience, the victim-blaming,” she explains.

Common trauma symptoms include feeling out of control, distressed, anxious, angry, fear of going certain places and struggling to concentrate, Glass says.

“What can happen is that women will isolate themselves and it takes them back to both their own experiences, and it’s not just the rape, but how they were treated (after),” she adds.

A Survivor’s Choice to Share

When Christy Forrester left a two-part comment on a viral Instagram post about the Cornell case, she wanted to show fellow sexual assault survivors that “people care, that I care,” she tells TODAY.com.

Forrester, psychotherapist at Becoming Imaginal Therapy, which offers telehealth services in several states, recently marked 20 years since her rape, so she wanted to share “a report from down the road,” she explains.

“I’m turning more towards the life I want to live and less living in reaction to what happened to me. ... I wanted some people to feel some hope,” Forrester says.

Rather than sharing “toxic positivity” and implying “you’ll get over it,” Forrester says she wants to emphasize, “You’re going to walk your journey, and you very well could come to a door that opens to a different life.”

“Your future matters,” she adds.

After two decades of speaking out as a rape survivor, Forrester says she’s ready to focus on her future, but when the Cornell story broke, she decided to revisit her experience to “light the way” for someone else. Still, she understands why others don’t speak out and urges not comparing. “Each person has to survive this in their own way,” she says.

Fiona McAleer, a Cornell graduate who went through the Title IX system for her own assault, says these viral moments tend to leave survivors with “mixed emotions.”

“There is some relief that it is being talked about on a wider scale because hopefully some change could come from that,” she tells TODAY.com. “Of course, I think there’s a lot of anger. ... I know that I, myself, and a lot of other people reached out to the media right after our assault and said, ‘Hey, there’s a story here. This is what happened to me,’ and we were turned away from the media for years.”

“It kind of feels like a slap in the face that, now that the public’s eyes are on this, people are now reporting on it. We’ve been screaming into what feels like a void for years,” she adds.

McAleer says she continues to speak out because campus sexual violence “is not an anomaly.”

“This is a systemic issue that has been happening for years,” she says. “If we ... continue to move on without looking at the entire system as a whole, then more people are going to experience more awful things and not receive the help and support that they need from the institutions who are there to protect them.”

How to Take Care

For survivors struggling mentally in this news cycle, the experts all give the same advice: Talk to someone you can trust, whether that’s a family member or a person picking up a hotline.

Glass says these people should aim to “just listen,” be nonjudgmental and allow the survivor to decide if they want to report anything.

“There are resources, there’s people that support them and believe them, and they can reach out for help,” Glass says.

“You need people who are going to be in solidarity with you — that’s really important. You need and deserve that validation,” adds Bedera, who worked as a rape crisis counselor.

She also suggests, if you’re feeling up for it, finding an activity, possibly with others, that can help you feel like you’re contributing to positive change in the world.

Forrester points to the importance of taking breaks from the news and social media, especially if it’s harming you.

“We’re not letting down the fight by slowing down and watching a funny movie or taking a break from the news cycle,” she says. “Sometimes it’s better to step away.”

Mental health care, such as therapy, can also be a powerful tool for sexual assault survivors, Glass and Forrester say. For anyone in immediate crisis, the 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available.

When the News Cycle Moves On

The recent outcry over the Cornell case has felt so loud, possibly because “many women feel like there’s an attack on women and women’s rights in our country,” Glass says.

“I think that often is the problem for women — that message constantly that ... their experience is not as important and they can just get over it, but this could impact these young men to get a job in the future.”

Glass hopes the reaction to this case could lead to more recognition of what survivors endure and services to address and prevent sexual assault. “There are organizations that are doing amazing work, but at the same time, their funding’s cut,” she says.

Forrester thinks about how individual survivors may find themselves trying to cope after sharing their story with no clear benefit.

“I do fear that’s what happens with the news sometimes ... bringing them into contact with their pain, and then there’s no real support,” she says. “When you speak your story, it comes with the risk that people are going to seem like they really care about it until they don’t.