What is hazing? 0
Hazing is when a group — like a club or a sorority — requires that others who want to join do certain things. Sometimes these things are silly and are not harmful, such as wearing crazy clothes or a lot of makeup. Other times, the people in charge of the group make the newcomers do dangerous and even life-threatening things, such as drinking too much alcohol.
Bullying and hazing are similar to each other in some ways, but are different in others.
| Bullying | Hazing |
|---|---|
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At the middle and high school levels, hazing often occurs in sports teams, with current team members “initiating” new members. Many people think of hazing as a harmless part of growing up, as something that everyone goes through at some point, but hazing is harmful, both physically and emotionally. Physical wounds heal, but a victim of hazing can carry the emotional scars with them for life.
Common types of hazing include:
- Sleep deprivation and restrictions on personal hygiene
- Yelling, swearing, and insulting new members/rookies
- Being forced to wear embarrassing or humiliating clothing in public
- Being forced to eat vile substances or smearing of such on one’s skin
- Brandings
- Physical beatings
- Binge drinking and drinking games
- Sexual simulation and sexual assault
Source: Office on Women’s Health.
