Have you ever thought about what hazing is or how it originated? Hazing is broadly known as a type of initiation for newcomers participating in clubs or sports in both high school and college. Hazing is nothing new. Fraternities have been beating and torturing pledges as part of initiations the last 200 years.
The death of pledges and teammates due to hazing have also been around for several hundred years. The first recorded death was back in 1873, when a member of a fraternity at Cornell University was blindfolded and forced to walk home in the dark. On his way, he fell off a cliff and died. The consequences were very lenient back then, so hazing seemed like it was not a big deal.
Greek life perpetuates an environment of fear. It involves heavy drinking and verbal abuse, the opposite of a brotherhood. College students are all aware that fraternities include actions of hazing. But it is guaranteed that no high schooler expects their teammates to violate them in such a way.
Cases regarding hazing have risen in recent times. In the month of October, eight cases related to hazing have been reported. Tuscarora High School, located in Leesburg, Virginia, was put under investigation after three football players were accused of sexually assaulting a teammate.
After a practice during the team’s football season, the Tuscarora players held their teammate down and allegedly “inserted objects into the victim”. The event came unexpected to the team as they were completely thrown off and felt as if they weren’t safe anymore. The team cancelled practice for two days, but none of their games were cancelled.
Incidents like these raise concern for other schools, students, and coaches.
“It’s crazy to think that some people could actually hurt their teammates in any way outside of sports,”senior Alex Bellem said. “ Coach Maglisceau does not allow hazing. He warned us last season that he doesn’t want to see or hear any type of actions regarding that.”
If you would like to see a perspective of what being hazed is like, watch the movie “Burning Sands”. It is a Netflix Original which is based off of a group of friends that attend Frederick Douglass University. They are pledges for an African-American fraternity group who undergo a series of violent hazing tactics.
In conclusion, the prevention of hazing must be spread in schools throughout the country.
Students must report to authorities if they experience or witness an act of abuse towards a pledge or a teammate.