What Is Hazing?According to Websters Dictionary, hazing is defined as an act where new members are informally inducted by means of embarrassing or demeaning acts. A term associated with embarrassment (Hazing Websters). There are many different ways that Greek organizations haze their new members. Those tactics can be anything from carrying books all day, carrying a brick, not being able to walk on grass, having to recite the Greek Alphabet whenever asked to, picking up older members from parties, and being at members disposal whenever they need you. If you are told to carry a brick or anything else for a week or so, many of the existing members will attempt, and get others to attempt to steal it from you so the new member has to pay the consequences. Older sisters or brothers may preform verbal abuse to their "pledges"; such as antagonizing, threatening, or ridiculing them. I have heard of sororities making girls strip down to their underwear, and the other girls will take a marker and circle the fat on her body.
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As awful as these acts may seem, and as much publicity as hazing gets, not all Greek organizations practice forms of initiation. The website stophazing.org is performing a study to see how prevalent hazing is. Because of this research they hope to one day be able to give more effective ways to stop hazing and better alternatives to the public. However, this research will take years to finish. |
Dr. Nadine C. Hoover from Alfred University states that non-fraternity members were most at risk of hazing, though a US-style fraternity system on campus proved a strong indicator of hazing likelihood. Football players are most at risk of potentially dangerous or illegal hazing, the study found.( Hazing Wikipedia ) The photo on the upper right shows a high school football player physically tortured in the school locker room during a hazing ritual. This is just one of the many photos online of post hazing inncidents. Home |
