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Hazing is an initiation ceremony used to bond newcomers to an organization. It can range from mild to violent and is often banned due to safety concerns. Hazing can be physical or psychological, with potential risks including humiliation, abuse, and dangerous stunts. Reporting hazing can lead to ostracism, but anonymous guidelines have been established to encourage reporting.
Hazing is a form of initiation ceremony that is used to introduce newcomers to an organization such as a private school, sports team, fraternity, or sorority. There are a number of different forms, from relatively mild ritual forms to severe and sometimes violent ceremonies. Due to concerns about the safety of hazing, many organizations have specifically banned the practice, although the bans are very erratically enforced.
The idea behind this practice is to welcome newcomers by putting them through a series of tests that promote a bond between them. After the hazing is over, the newcomers also have something in common with the older members of the organization, because they all experienced it as part of a rite of passage. The practice also tests the mettle of new members, making them feel like they’ve earned a place in the organization.
A wide variety of techniques are used in hazing. Many rituals involve humiliation, embarrassment, abuse and harassment. Inductees may be subjected to a single “hell night” in which they go through a series of rituals, or a “hell week”, a protracted process in which they must constantly be ready for new orders from more senior members of the organization. For example, new members of a sports team might be required to carry pagers so they can be summoned to hazing events, or new fraternity pledges might be required to greet all current fraternity members whenever they meet them during Hell Week, as well as participating in evening events.
Some organizations pass on venerable traditions, while others develop their own. The potential dangers of hazing can be both physical and psychological. In sororities, for example, a common practice involves ordering new pledges to strip down to their underwear so they can be judged by older sorority members, which can be humiliating or dangerous for women who are struggling with issues of body image. Challenges in which people dare to drink large amounts of alcohol or engage in dangerous physical stunts can also be very risky and, in some cases, deadly.
The history of hazing is ancient, with documented cases dating back to at least the 1600s. This may explain why no toleration policies often fail, because such policies only work when people refuse to engage in hazing ceremonies and report hazing attempts to officials. New hires are often afraid or unwilling to discuss or report these activities, making it difficult for officials to enforce bans.
People who take the initiative to report or deny hazing can find themselves ostracized. For newcomers who are looking to fit into an organization, the potential for rejection from the group is sometimes seen as much more unpleasant. Some institutions have established anonymous guidelines to encourage people to report hazing confidentially. Unsafe practices should always be reported, as human life is far more important than adaptation.
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