Free Essay

Hazing

In:

Submitted By Nvan
Words 1313
Pages 6
Hazing

Hazing is a highly dangerous activity that in some cases has resulted in death. Hazing involves various activities or rituals which are expected of someone desiring to join a group. Hazing differs from bullying in that bullying attempts to isolate someone from a group. Hazing activities or rituals are designed to be degrading and dehumanizing and can induce psychological, emotional or physical harm, regardless of a person's willingness to participate (Hazing Defined). Hazing is an extremely dangerous form of harassment and intimidation. Hazing is done to an individual as a way of initiating a person into a group or organization. Since 1965, there have been over one hundred people who have been killed or died in the United States due to hazing activities on college campuses in connection with fraternities and sororities alone (Hazing.hanknuwer.com). The actual number of fatalities due to hazing is probably much higher when other groups and organizations such as social groups, high schools, sports teams, military units, the work place and gangs, amongst others, are considered as well. Currently, there is no official U.S. government organization that officially tracks the number of fatalities due to hazing (Hazing.hankunwer.com). Further, there are forty four states that have laws against hazing, but they are often not enforced. The majority of hazing deaths occur because the activity or ritual is excessive and participants become over zealous. Further, a participant's ability to reason and be rational is often impaired because alcohol and other drugs are taken and abused by those involved in the ritual. Victims of hazing often do not complain because their desire to join the group or organization is of such paramount importance that their judgment is clouded (High School Hazing). A great deal of hazing occurs among teenagers in high school and college. More education is needed for teenagers and young adults about the adverse and destructive effects of hazing on an individual's well-being and life. Hazing is psychologically and emotionally harmful, physically abusive and can involve illegal activity including the violation of human rights and death. Overall, hazing may be intended to be harmless and innocent fun, but often times is not and should be an activity that is illegal and banned. Hazing often times effects a person emotionally and psychologically. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PSTD is defined as a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event where a person may have symptoms which include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety and uncontrollable thoughts about the event (MayoClinic.com). Many people who experience a traumatic event such as often occurs with hazing, have difficulty coping with and enjoying daily life after such and event. This was the case for Darrion Denson of Dr. Phillips High School in 2010 after he was sent into the locker room by his coach for a pair of pants. Upon entering the locker room, Darrion was beaten by five football players until he was unconscious and then woke up in a dumpster sometime later (Total Life Counseling.com). Although high school hazing may begin as a harmless prank, it can often quickly escalate to being harmful and illegal and leave emotional and psychological scarring as in the case of Darrion Denson who suffered from severe anxiety and had nightmares after the incident Many cases of hazing are physically brutal and humiliating. In some cases, victims of hazing rituals will endure the activity because of their desire to join the group or organization. In other cases, victims are forced against their will to endure severe physical brutality. This was the case in 2008 for six Robertson High School football player's from a small town in New Mexico. During a football training camp held in Las Vegas, Nevada, six older football players of the Robertson High School football team sodomized six younger teammates with a broomstick while holding them down on the floor. This occurred at the camp they attended in August before the beginning of the school year (Fox News.com). This type of horrific activity to initiate a person into a group, organization or team is totally unjustified, intolerable and unacceptable, not to mention illegal! A lawsuit was filed and a multimillion dollar settlement awarded to the victims of this hazing case. Unfortunately, hazing rituals do not improve after high school and all too often include the use of alcohol and other drugs which have led to many untimely deaths as in the case of eighteen year old Nick Haben. Nick Haben was a popular honor student and baseball player in high school. Upon entering college at Western Illinois University, he decided to try out for the baseball team but learned the team already had six catchers. Subsequently, he decided to try out for the lacrosse team and made the team. The team had a history of hazing which included heavy drinking, but Nick was not a drinker. Consequently, after initially declining to drink, Nick decided to participate in the drinking rituals and it wasn't long before he passed out after jumping over bonfires and swimming in a creek. None of the team members checked on Nick after he passed out on his dorm room floor or called 911 for assistance as they had seen numerous teammates pass out previously after drinking. Unfortunately, since Nick was not a person to indulge in heavy drinking or even occasional drinking, the amount of liquor he consumed proved to be too much for his body to manage and he slipped into a coma and died (Hazing.hanknuwer.com). His life was undoubtedly cut short as is the case with many hazing incidents where alcohol is used and abused. According to C.H.U.C.K. or the Committee to Halt Useless College Killings, ninety eight percent of all fatal hazing incidents on college campuses include alcohol (Scottschalin.com). Hazing can have an adverse impact and effect on many student's lives, as well as the lives of their friends and family when physical or emotional harm or a death occurs due to hazing. Since many organizations, clubs and teams require the participation in hazing rituals in order to become a member of the group, many students will be rejected or will not be accepted into the organization, club or team because of refusing to be hazed. This denies a person their freedom to choose or participate in an organization or sport they like because of peer pressure and denying to be hazed by being insulted, humiliated and dehumanized. No reputable and respected organization of any type officially requires or supports hazing of any type for a person to become a member or the group. Many hazing practices and activities are in fact, criminal and illegal. Furthermore, when a person dies due to any hazing ritual, friends and family are devastated by the senseless and untimely loss of their loved ones. Many lives have been cut short or ruined due to hazing. No matter how one views or attempts to justify any reason for hazing, it's an unnecessary, appalling practice and activity that should not be accepted or condoned by anyone, under any circumstances, at any time.

Works Cited
College Hazing Horrors. May 1992. 10 March 2012. http://www.scottschalin.com/?p=191
Hazing Defined. Stophazing.org. 10 March 2005. 11 March 2012. http://stophazing.org/definition.html>.
Hazing or Initiation? Dr. Phillips High School – Darrion Denson. 23 September 2008. 11 March 2010. http://www.totallifecounseling.com/2010/09/hazing-or-dr-phillips-high-shcool- darrion-denson/
High School Hazing. Stophazing.org. 12 March 2012. http://hazing.hanknuwer.com/haben.html
Horrific High School Football Hazing Case Shakes New Mexico Town. Foxnews.com. 24 September 2008. 12 March 2010. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C426883%2C00.html
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. MayoClinic.com. 8 April 2011. 11 March 2012. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/DS00246

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Hazing

...Hazing and Its Consequences Iliana Ng DeVry University June 25, 2014 Hazing and Its Consequences Over the years, there have been many stories published and movies made about the harmful and sometimes deadly consequences of the hazing rituals being performed by university and high school students, military personnel, professional athletes and most recently by middle school students. These rituals have affected the life of the people involve in hazing, whether is on the receiving end or on the delivering end. Educators along with the communities have confronted practical jokes, physical abuse, excessive consumption of alcohol and other humiliating and harmful events. To better understand these rituals, we look at the dictionary definition for hazing. Hazing as defined in the Marrian-Webster Dictionary is “the practice of playing unpleasant tricks on someone or forcing someone to do unpleasant things.” Others definitions found and “they typically include two main elements: (1) the initiation of new members of a particular group by more senior members and (2) activities that result in physical, psychological, and/or emotional harm” (Finley, 2011, p. 225). As noted, these unfriendly acts may sometimes be cruel jokes that sometimes lead to more serious injuries even death. Hazing dates back to Plato’s academy in 387 B.C. and it was known as pennalism. Plato associated hazing acts to those of wild animals and criticized the “practical jokes played by unruly young men...

Words: 1494 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Hazing

...An End to Insanity Pine cones thrown at your face, stripped naked and left in a cornfield, and water forced down your throat until you vomit. Do any of these acts sound familiar? They are some of the most familiar forms of hazing. Although hazing is illegal in most states, the actions of cruelty are still being preformed today, it is an enormous problem so why isn’t more action being taken on it. I think it is because a lot of today’s hazing goes unreported either the school which it took place at is to embarrassed of the incident, or the student him/herself are to embarrassed to share the knowledge with others. In an article from CQ researcher by Brian Hansen he asks the question Should More Be Done to Stop It? I believe Hansen focuses on the article from a medical standpoint although he does not state that hazing is on the rise he does say that deaths caused from hazing are now higher then ever. He gives examples as to why the trend may be on the rise so much, the contemporary media endorses such acts that de grate people on shows like “Fear Factor” or movies like “Jackass.” Students see these acts and they may think that they are “ok” to perform because they were viewed by a national audience. Hansen also says that many deaths occur because students arrive with the “disneyland ride notion” where it may seem scary but the operators know what they are doing and everything will be ok, when in reality many of the hazers choose heinous acts at random that have never been...

Words: 1387 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Fraternity Hazing

...Fraternity Hazing Google App Integrated Collab https://www.google.com.ph http://www.planetpapers.com http://www.gannett.cornell.edu http://www.termpaperwarehouse.com 1. Hazing (subjecting newcomers to abusive or humiliating tricks and ridicule) has always been seen as a secretive campus activity when it comes to fraternities and pledging. As a result, Dr. Mark Taff resorted in his article that, "..a series of 168 cases of injuries and deaths related to fraternity hazing activities...[occurred] in the United States between 1923 and 1982" (2113). Young college men are being hospitalized and even worse, dying, just for a couple of friends that give them a sense of belonging. The major causes of hazing are the students' wanting a sense of belonging in a big college campus, the college's infrequent knowledge of what occurs in fraternities, and the unwillingness of fraternities to change tradition. Since hazing has been around for more than a century, one cannot expect the practice of hazing to stop all together. It will probably take years before hazing perishes from the fraternity scene. Nevertheless, until an end is put to hazing, solutions can be used to make hazing less common, until it no longer exists. These solutions that may be able to put an eventual stop to hazing, in the long run, are better education about fraternity hazing, stricter laws to prevent hazing from occurring, and more intervention from college administrators.  Stories of hazing incidents are...

Words: 5319 - Pages: 22

Premium Essay

Hazing In College Athletics

...It is common for college athletics to participate in some form of hazing. College athletics haze students because it can be a form of rite of passage, it is thought to fuel students’ competitive spirit, or show dominance between student players. Because of these reasons, in 95% of hazing cases, students who were aware they were hazed did not report it (UMD Hazing Prevention Website). More than 250,000 students have experienced some sort of hazing act to join a college athletic team. More than 20% of female NCAA athletes were subjected to alcohol-related hazing; however even a higher percentage admitted to "mental hazing" which ranged from singing to being kidnapped (UMD Hazing Prevention Website). Dr. Ryan Hamilton, Sport Psychology Consultant,...

Words: 1652 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Why Is Hazing Wrong

...The Horrific tales of Hazing Hazing is an ordinary international issue which can lead to emotional and physical damage to anyone who participates.Many students get hazed before they even enter college in the United States.Hazing is any action taken created intentionally that causes embarrassment, harassment or ridicule and risks of emotional and physical harm to members of a group or team, whether new or not, regardless of the person's willingness to participate.To avert hazing President Trump can enroll anti-hazing laws in all fifty states, to prevent people from getting mentally and physically brutalized. The History of Hazing: Hazing started in the 16th century, the term hazing first took hold after veteran sailors would intimidate...

Words: 1367 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Explaining Hazing Research Paper

...Explaining hazing. Give 3 illustrations (for example Micheal Deng). Hazing is basically a way to see how far a person will go just to get into a fraternities or sororities. Even though these situations occur in such a horrible tragedy, I'm going to depth about Robert Champion from FAMU, the Baruch college case, and the military case... If you want to join a group, do your research and don't do anything you don't want to do that can risk your life. Hazing can lead to horrible consequences. First of all, In November 2011, 26-year-old drum major Robert Champion was killed during a hazing ritual. According to the Orlando Sentinel, there were witnesses who had seen everything that transpired. The ex- band members...

Words: 559 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Hash Tag: Yes to Fraternity, No to Hazing

...“Hash tag: Yes to Fraternity, No to Hazing” Have you ever imagined yourself blindfolded, violently dragged to somewhere you even don’t know, struck hard by a paddle or a hard object and felt the excruciating pain? Do you have any idea of how will you ever survive the bruises, wounds and lashes you will get? It will not only scar your skin and flesh but your mind and soul, beating you physically, mentally and emotionally and worst may lead to your death. Fraternity - the most conventional thing that people who have nothing to do in life resort to; the brotherhood that protects its foundation towards less sensible goals; and the growing parasites of the society inflicting students and youth. Well, these are the common perceptions we initially think of about the fraternity. This must be the NEGATIVE view of this so-called brotherhood but let’s try to peek in beyond its surface. Brotherhood, it’s the considered primary reason why a group of people entitled themselves to establish a fraternity. Fraternities actually ruled the world. From a continent reaching the other end of another continent, you can never deny the existence maybe not called as fraternity but a brotherhood that stands for something they would fight unto force just like any other. In Filipino term, brotherhood is the “kapatiran”. Never been an alien to our ears, this kapatiran is composed of men with common goals in which they protect and cultivate, and this purposely unites them. Fellows, let’s be historians...

Words: 1033 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Hazing In Illinois University Research Paper

...Hazing on the University of Illinois Campus: Brotherhood’s Most Dangerous Ritual? To what extent is hazing having a negative impact on the Greek System at American Universities and what is being done to combat this? Fraternities have always made it clear to potential recruits that the Greek System creates strong, powerful men, they aren’t wrong: the last 25 presidents, 18 of them have been fraternity men (Konnikova). These powerful, moral men may have found brotherhood, strength, and character in their fraternity, but they also were a part of a terrible practice that has been plaguing the United States campuses since the 1800s. Behind closed doors in dimly lit rooms, fraternity elders engage hazing activities of pledges. All throughout pledgeship,...

Words: 1468 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Taking It Too Far: the Effects of Hazing on College Students

...Taking it too Far: The Effects of Hazing on College Students Across the country, different fraternities and sororities are practicing different initiation acts called hazing. The participants are put through a series of humiliating and painful activities that usually include alcohol consumption at a high rate. This results in the incarceration and sometimes the death of those participants. Recent events has made hazing one of the top issues in America and many are fighting against it. In college, the hazing of a student is common, but many times it is taken too far. The most common activity of hazing is for the participants to consume large amounts of alcohol for the amusement of others, this activity is dangerous, and often times, neither 911 nor an ambulance is called for medical assistance. Parents with children in college should “urge them too often to make good choices” (“College”). Lives can be saved if students will just make smarter decisions about their actions and what to do. The smart decisions students make can help them avoid activities like this and potentially save their lives. The pressure to participate in these activities is high but can be solved by saying no or walking away, the student should not feel like they have to participate in such acts. In the Chicago Tribune article “College, Death, and Consequences”, 43 students that attended Northern Illinois University are connected with the death of a fellow student, David Bogenberger. During the investigation...

Words: 420 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Term Paper

...Statement of the Problem The Issues Involved in Fraternity Hazing Fraternity hazing can kill students or lead to other physical or mental handicaps. Many people think of fraternity hazing as being harmless. The problem is that sometimes it is not. Hazing is becoming more and more violent as the individuals involved try different things during the hazing of an individual to join a fraternity or organization. Hazing has been related to over fifty deaths and many injuries. What Is Hazing? Hazing can be defined as the initiation of a disciplinary activity involving horseplay, practical jokes, and humiliating activities. Hazing started in 1850 as a tradition in American universities and has continued since that date. Most universities have rules about what can be included in the hazing process. Many people argue that without hazing the fraternity pledges would not have the same meaning or be special. These people argue that without hazing the pledge process would deteriorate. Members of Fraternities believe that the pledge process is directed at building brotherhood. Why Do People Do Hazing in Fraternities or Other Organizations? The simple answer to this is peer pressure. People want to be accepted by their peers and are willing to things they would never normally do. Many of the prospective members are not aware of what will take place until they are involved in the process. The secrecy involved allows the hazing to get worse over time as more and more ideas are thought about...

Words: 515 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Effects of Fraternities

...AN ACT REGULATING HAZING AND OTHER FORMS OF INITIATION RITES IN FRATERNITIES, SORORITIES, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR Section 1. Hazing, as used in this Act, is an initiation rite or practice as a prerequisite for admission into membership in a fraternity, sorority or organization by placing the recruit, neophyte or applicant in some embarrassing or humiliating situations such as forcing him to do menial, silly, foolish and other similar tasks or activities or otherwise subjecting him to physical or psychological suffering or injury.   The term "organization" shall include any club or the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Philippine Military Academy, or officer and cadet corp of the Citizen's Military Training and Citizen's Army Training. The physical, mental and psychological testing and training procedure and practices to determine and enhance the physical, mental and psychological fitness of prospective regular members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police as approved ny the Secretary of National Defense and the National Police Commission duly recommended by the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Director General of the Philippine National Police shall not be considered as hazing for the purposes of this Act.   Sec. 2. No hazing or initiation rites in any form or manner by a fraternity, sorority or organization shall be allowed without prior written notice to...

Words: 1390 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Fraternities

...leadership opportunities and lasting friendships. This is true in many cases but some sororities and fraternities have more excuses for getting drunk and doing potentially dangerous pranks. In the U.S. hazing has resulted in several deaths and serious injuries. Matthew Carrington was killed at California’s Chico State University on February 2, 2005. Hazing is considered a felony in several U.S. states, and anti-hazing legislation has been proposed in other states. In Indonesia, 35 people died since 1993 as a result of hazing initiation rites. The latest is in April 2007 when Cliff Muntu died after being beaten by the seniors. In India, hazing has been banned for the last few years. Recently, in a historical judgment, the Hon. Supreme Court of India directed the police to lodge criminal cases against those accused of hazing. State governments have also been ordered to deal with hazing strictly. In the Philippines, The family of University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance student Cris Anthony Mendez, who was killed in fraternity hazing rites, is still waiting to get justice a year after his death. Mendez died allegedly from heavy beating sustained during Sigma Rho fraternity hazing rites in August last year 2007. Actually, there are many cases of hazing, reported and not reported that are classified as criminal acts according to Philippine Jurisprudence. Indeed joining a fraternity or...

Words: 525 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Fraternity

...DATA REFERENCES Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION Background of the Study Fraternities and sororities are visible in all colleges and state universities since the 1700's. They were first established to encourage activities outside of the classroom. There are exciting volunteer opportunities and social outlets available in joining these organizations. Not everyone have enough time once someone enters in. In Greece, fans of sororities and fraternities argue that their system gives students leadership opportunities and lasting friendships. This is true in many cases but some sororities and fraternities have more excuses for getting drunk and doing potentially dangerous pranks. In the U.S. hazing has resulted in several deaths and serious injuries. Matthew Carrington was killed at California’s Chico State University on February 2, 2005....

Words: 822 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Fraternities

...North America, most notably in the Philippines and in some European countries, but for the most part they are a decidedly American institution. Some types of fraternities emphasize service to the community, professional advancement, or scholastic achievement. Fraternities or sororities often have a so-called hazing. According to graceful1 (2008) in her article “Hazing Issue in Fraternities”, hazing has been around for more than a century, one cannot expect the practice of hazing to stop all together. Possible solutions that may decrease, and eventually put a stop to hazing, include better education about fraternity hazing, and more intervention from college administrators. Through this, fraternities can be restored to their intended purpose: providing moral and social support for college students. According to Melanie Gueco (2010), the Philippines’ very first brotherhood was the Kataastaasan Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or KKK, a group formed to defend the country from the Spanish conquerors, also have certain rights and initiations. The Philippines had the type of fraternity worth dying for but no longer have the same case at present due to arousal of hazing. In the local area of Davao City, fraternities are considered the same as gangs and...

Words: 1409 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Hazing

...Michael Plasmeier Kaiser English 9H 4 May 2006 Hazing Paper Hazing is a very dangerous form of bullying. About 70 people have been killed by hazing in the last 20 years (Facts.com 2). “’Hazing’ refers to any activity expected of someone joining a group … that humiliates, degrades or risks emotional and/or physical harm, regardless of the person's willingness to participate” (Hazing Defined 1). Most hazing deaths occur because the act goes too far; the hazers get carried away. Their intention is to have a team building activity or make sure members are up to snuff (Facts.com 2). However, this is not what really happens. The acts often cross the line, and the victims do not complain because they want to join the group (Facts.com 2). Teens often want to outdo one another; each year, teens do something more dangerous then what happened to them while they were the victims (Bowers 1; Bushweller 3). Not only can these acts be dangerous, but they are also an “abuse of power and [a] violation of human dignity” (High School Hazing). If teens can be educated that this hurtful and inhumane act of bullying is forbidden in high school, then they will know that it is not acceptable in college, where hazing becomes the most dangerous. Although high school hazing starts out and seems harmless, it can quickly escalate to being harmful, dangerous, and illegal. Hazing can very quickly turn from a harmless prank into a dangerous situation. In most cases, the victim will still...

Words: 2044 - Pages: 9