Sunny Hostin is out on an island over the Cornell gang-rape case ... defending the seven accused frat bros and questioning how the story is being reported.

The "View" host said Tuesday she read the Jane Doe's original nine-page 2024 statement and believes prosecutors couldn't have brought a case based on that account.

Sunny -- who prosecuted sex crimes for 10 years -- said the woman described voluntarily drinking, using ketamine and consenting to sexual activity, including two threesomes. She also noted three of the accused men allegedly never touched her, and another told people to leave the room.

Her point ... under New York law, voluntary intoxication alone does not automatically erase someone's ability to consent. Sunny said she believes women, but argued the 2024 statement and the allegations in a new lawsuit filed last week are different.

Meanwhile, major stars like Mariska Hargitay and Hudson Williams have called out the alleged rapists online.

As TMZ previously reported ... in her lawsuit, the woman accuses seven Chi Phi members of drugging and sexually assaulting her in October 2024 ... and says one of the men messaged the fraternity's Snapchat group that there was "free p***y" upstairs.

Tompkins County D.A. Matthew Van Houten has since reopened the criminal investigation and plans to take the case before a grand jury.

Doe's attorney disputes the D.A.'s claim that her civil allegations materially differ from what she originally reported.