Hazing In The United States

When you are a part of Greek life you are popular. In professional sports, with men sports the National Football League, National Basketball Association, Major Baseball League etc., there is a history of hazing to accept new rookies into the league. Even though, the organization have dangerous activities, but ignore outrageous events they may have to endure to become part of the organization. Hazing is classified into three types subtle, violent, and harassment. Subtle hazing is mainly deception, or not having to do the same thing other new members had to do. These falls under “reasonable hazing” to others, but to me it is not. With subtle hazing when a pledge is lining up you could call a guy run a lap but referring to him as a girl. Mainly, required greeting of members in a specific manner when seen on campus. With harassment hazing is causes stress, a relative degree of discomfort, physically or emotionally, to the new members

the cause of so many untimely deaths and injuries, it raises the question; should hazing be

Hazing is usually about supremacy and dominance, this is to make those in charge postulate that they are formidable. Though a small amount may not be included majority of college delta clubs are guilty of the act of hazing. In order to be in a certain organization, people might be asked to perform dangerous ceremonies. According to the author Ally Hirschlag, a former pledge Britteny Starling, was forced to pretend as if she was a human trash can and mop. She would clean juice from the ground and accumulate the waste from other sister’s using only her fingers and pouches. They weren’t finished with her yet, she had to stay awake all night without permission for the bathroom, to make things worse she had to stand all night. When Brittney’s leg couldn’t handle it anymore one of the so called sisters smashed her ankle causing injury. Due to this she sued, which shut down Zeta Phi Beta sorority located at the University of California. This event shows that these so called sisters just want to feel in control, the tasks set for the pledges is a test of courage WRONG, It’s for the pleasure of someone else’s satisfaction. Hazing is ABUSE; it lowers one’s standards and makes them a slave towards their so called “brothers/sisters”. Her not being able to use the bathroom, while standing up is cruel. The fact that one of her sisters hit her on the ankle when she couldn’t take it anymore was evil. An associate (sister) is meant to help the pledges guide them and show them the

Hazing in universities across the nation has become an increasingly dangerous ritual that is seemingly becoming more difficult to put an end to due to its development into an "underground" activity. Though a regular activity in the seventies, hazing, a possible dangerous act of initiation to a group, has now become an activity that is banned in thirty-nine states (Wagner 16). However, this ritual has not been stopped or become less severe. In fact it is becoming more dangerous. Since it has been banned, with many colleges imposing their own penalties against those participating in it, many fraternities and sororities have pursued this activity in an underground fashion. Since these groups have gone underground, some victims of these

Hazing in universities across the nation has become an increasingly dangerous ritual that is seemingly becoming more difficult to put an end to due to its development into an “underground” activity. Though a regular activity in the seventies, hazing, a possible dangerous act of initiation to a group, has now become an activity that is banned in thirty-nine states (Wagner 16). However, this ritual has not been stopped or become less severe. In fact it is becoming more dangerous. Since it has been banned, with many colleges imposing their own penalties against those participating in it, many fraternities and sororities have pursued this activity in an underground fashion. Since these groups have gone underground, some victims of these

Dartmouth college has “taken aggressive steps to curb [the] dangerous behaviors [of binge drinking, hazing, and violence by] banning hard liquor, forbidding the pledge process at fraternities and sororities, and requiring [all students] to undergo a four-year sexual violence prevention program” (Rosenberg and Mosca 9). Phi Delta Theta, a national fraternity, banned alcohol in all of its houses in 1997 (Gray 1). In addition, fraternities across the nation are adopting a program “called the Fraternal Health and Safety Initiative, [which] uses proven prevention techniques, such as bystander intervention training. [This] trains students to identify and intervene in potentially harmful situations” (Jacobs 3). The actions taken by national fraternities are helping to reverse the images of hazing and alcohol abuse associated with Greek life by educating potential, and current, members on the consequences that go along with these practices. This education helps members feel more responsibility of their actions. Dartmouth College took a step in banning liquor from all of its fraternity houses. With this in mind, one national fraternity decided to abolish any form of alcohol all together, which will hopefully cause a wave of alcohol abolition in fraternity houses across the

The term hazing is defined as "any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person" (UMass). Whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, forced consumption of food, liquor, beverages, , brutal treatment, extended isolation, sleep deprivation, and forced physical activities that adversely affect physical health and safety are just some known acts of hazing that Greek members may force their "brothers" and "sisters" to undergo. Imagine getting an update from your college student. Your freshman son calls home, reporting he has just made the lacrosse team and is excited to receive his fraternity pin the next day. The following morning the phone rings, but it is not your beloved child. A policeman calls to inform you that your son had just died of

Hazing is where it is illegal for a person to commit acts to where they are accountable for harm to another person for the purpose of joining a group(South Carolina). Mainly in fraternities, hazing is looked at as fun and exciting to new members of the lifelong brotherhood. Daniel Fant says, “Not only will I have to probably go through hazing when I pledge one day but it is a tradition. My dad and brother have both been through the hazing process and so will I!”(Fant). The reality of how prominent hazing is in college life should be frightening. Hazing should never be a tradition. While hazing may be fun in the moment, the consequences are very risky. It is illegal for anyone to know about or help with the acts of hazing. Also, failure to report knowledgeable information about hazing is illegal(South Carolina). At many state supported universities, colleges, and public places of further education hazing is banned(South Carolina). Students can be dismissed, expelled, suspended, or even punished by the school’s president(South Carolina). Not only can hazing lead to harm to others, hazing can impact the person committing the hazing just as much. When hazing is first brought up, people normally think of one person being injured, but many peoples lives are in

Across the nation, hazing has been a controversial topic for decades and decades. Hazing is most popular in college students who are seeking to become a member of a fraternity or sorority. In most cases, hazing is a humiliating and dangerous initiation ritual. Although legal action has been implemented in order to eradicate such behavior, not every state has anti-hazing laws. In fact, according to Stop Hazing, 44 out of 50 states have anti-hazing laws, which leaves a remainder of 6 states who do not. Even though these laws exist, unfortunately, not everyone abides by them. This has become a major issue in university fraternities in the United States because it is not only dangerous and unfair, but also disregarded.

Quote from critic: “Hazing rituals that incorporate some form of physical or emotional abuse are not unique to campus Greek life. Many groups, including athletic teams, military units and high school clubs, use some form of hazing to initiate new members.”

In recent years several high profile national cases have brought hazing to the forefront in American society as a real issue and a problematic one at that. According to recent statistics from the University of Maine, 1.5 million high school students are hazed each year. Of the athletes who have reported hazing, 40% have reported that a coach or advisor was aware of the activity. 22% report that the coach was actually involved in the activities. (Allan & Madden, 2008). Moreover, 36% of students say they would not report hazing primarily because “there’s no one to tell,” and 27% feel that officials or coaches won’t handle the situation right. In additional research a survey was conducted in which coaches were questioned

Sorority parties will reduce the amount of sexual assault cases at fraternities and on campus. Robertson explains, “Currently the National Panhellenic Conference, an umbrella organization governing 26 sorority chapters nationwide, does not allow alcohol in sorority houses” (Robertson). Robertson goes on to explain, “The reason, according to Cindy H. Stellhorn, a broker at MJ Insurance, is because sorority houses pay lower insurance rates by not serving alcohol. For reasons unknown, fraternities have no problem covering the additional cost and hosting parties” (Robertson). Creating sorority parties will allow the insurance of safety and women to not fall into the arms of their predator at the end of the night, but their sisters. Robertson illustrates, “especially younger girls feel much more comfortable coming to our sisters for help if they need it, rather than men having almost all the power,” (Robertson). Fraternities “insiders agree that a competitive, testosterone-driven environment fueled by alcohol and casual sex is part of fraternities' sexual assault problem. So are the large-scale parties at fraternity houses, which can be ideal surroundings for predatory behavior” (Carone). Colleges must understand and accept this and do a better job educating students when they come to their schools. As Carone explains, “Two studies in 2007 and 2009 published in the NASPA Journal suggest that fraternity members are more likely than non-fraternity members to commit rape” (Carone). Making a class for fraternity men would be beneficial to reducing sexual assault cases. Carone shows, “At SDSU, some fraternity members are trying to change attitudes, little by little...18 to 20 fraternity men cycle through a course called...Fraternity Men Against Negative Environments and Rape Situations” (Carone). Though a main reason of why there is a

Hazing is known as action that usually takes place when one wishes to join an organization, club or sports team. Generally, hazing is found to take place on most college campuses. Research has shown that 2 in 5 students say that they are aware of hazing taking place on their college campus. It’s not common for hazing to happen during Middle or High School years. Unfortunately, there have been over 250,000 students that have experienced some form of hazing. On a rare occasion do students, coaches, or advisors admit to having any knowledge of hazing activities. Hazing is usually conducted by someone that likes to feel that they are in control and may even be considered a bully. This action is somewhat one that causes an individual to experience or find themselves in harmful and embarrassing situations. It some cases people have been known

Franklin, Cortney A., Bouffard Leana Al & Pratt, Travis C; Sexual Assault on The College Campus Fraternity Affiliation, Male Peer Support, and Low Self-Control, Sam Houston State University & Arizona State University

Embarrassment, psychological issues, physical injuries, extreme intoxication, hospitalization, and death are all possible outcomes when engaging in the act of hazing. These outcomes beg the question, “What is the reward in hazing?” For the victims, there is no reward other than being an official member of an organization. However, according to _____________________ some perpetrators believe that hazing is their rite of passage and that it gives them power over others. Hazing itself has the potential to lead to the termination of an organization, put organization members at criminal and civil risk, affects a college’s amount of incoming students, create conflict between organization members, cause physical injuries as well as psychological