Many teens want to belong to a group such as a fraternity or sorority. They have a strong need to be valued, accepted and appreciated by their peers. Membership in these organizations provides a certain comfort zone. There are built-in friendships which help you deal with the problems of daily living.
Yet, these groups face a serious on-going problem. They are completely dependent upon an influx of new members. Without these teens, the groups would, in time, cease to exist. So, recruiting new membership becomes an integral part of the groups’ activities.
It is fairly common for groups to require prospective members or pledges to participate in series of initiative rites. These enable members and pledges to learn about one another. Members want to find new members who will fit into the group, and prospective members want to locate a group in which they will be comfortable.
Some initiation rites are fun and essentially harmless. The group may require pledges to wear funky clothing or extravagant amounts of make-up. While they may be time-consuming, such actions are innocuous and cause no damage. The group acquires the new members that it needs, and pledges have the satisfaction of becoming an important part of a team.
But that is not the case for all initiation rites. Some groups require pledges to participate in a host of humiliating, degrading, or even dangerous initiation rites such as those involving alcohol and other forms of substance abuse. These rites, which are called hazing, range from being the recipient of yelling or swearing to drinking excessive amounts of alcohol to taking illegal drugs to vandalizing property. Teens have been paddled or forced to eat spoiled food or goldfish—something a reasonable person would refrain from doing. They have been told to dress in inappropriate clothing such as clothing that is in poor taste or incredibly uncomfortable. There have been instances in which teens have been tied up and left outside in extreme cold or have participated in satanic rites. In some cases, teens have died. Yet, large numbers of teens do not appear to comprehend how unsafe these actions may be.
And there are more subtle forms of hazing. Teens who wish to join a group may be required to remain silent for a period of time. They may be asked to go on scavenger hunts for ridiculous items; they may be deprived of their most basic privileges. Pledges have been forced to do errands or personal chores for members. They may be called demeaning names or awakened at odd hours and be compelled to complete a series of physical exercises.
Teens who go along with the hazing will probably be selected to join the group. Since they do not openly oppose the hazing, they will be viewed as members who will continue the hazing practices and not push for changes in the group’s policy.
When attempting to determine if a particular activity is hazing, adolescents can ask themselves whether they would feel comfortable having it photographed for their school newspaper or videotaped for a local TV station. Further, they could ask if it would be difficult to describe it to a school administrator? If the answers to these questions are affirmative, then there should be reason to wonder whether hazing is taking place.
Hazing is not confined to fraternities and sororities. While there appears to be little or no hazing among high school newspaper and yearbook staffs, it seems to be part of many other high school organizations such as political, theater and church groups. There is even hazing among cheerleaders and vocational clubs. It is believed that the number of hazing incidents among teens is increasing. And there is evidence that there is hazing in younger grades. A significant number of boys and girls are hazed before the age of thirteen.
In some instances, hazing exacts a terrible physical and emotional toll. Adolescents who have been hazed may have trouble eating, sleeping or concentrating on their homework. They may provoke fights with their parents, siblings and/or peers; they may feel embarrassed, angry, confused, sad, regretful and guilty. Schoolwork may deteriorate. Some hazed teens commit crimes, cease socializing with friends, and consider suicide. At the same time, there are teens that report that the hazing experience results in positive emotions. They enjoy feeling that they are an integral part of a group; they felt proud, strong, energized, happy, confident and trusted.
Why do teens allow themselves to be hazed? After all, they can walk away from the group. These teens tend to cite a variety of reasons. Some say that hazing made them feel closer to the members of the group. Others indicate that hazing was fun and exciting. There are teens who are simply too scared to refuse to participate or want to prove that they can cope with the challenge. The peer pressure is enormous. After all, among certain groups, hazing is viewed as a tradition that should be supported.
Why do teens haze others? They enjoy the feelings of dominance and believe that they are teaching valuable lessons to teens who are younger and less experienced. There is a high probability that they were the victims of hazing. To them, hazing is a method of communication.
While colleges and universities frequently implement policies against hazing, that is not true with U.S. high schools. In addition, many teens are probably unaware that hazing is illegal in a number of states.
How can hazing be reduced or stopped? Obviously, despite the laws, hazing continues. Most people agree that it will not be controlled without more forceful actions from adults. Incidents of hazing must be investigated. Tough, disciplinary actions should be taken. Teens need to understand that hazing will not be tolerated. Some argue for a zero-tolerance policy—suspend or expel members of groups caught hazing. It might be a good idea to incorporate information on hazing into the school curriculum.
Are individual teens able to do anything to stop hazing? Though it may appear that they are helpless, they should inform their parents. Parents may then approach the school principal and police. Sometimes, they could hire an attorney and prepare a civil suit. When other students read that a group is facing litigation because of hazing, they may become seriously concerned. Rates of hazing should then drop markedly.
Related topics:
Academics, alcohol, cliques, peer pressure, risk-taking, self-esteem, substance abuse
