Two freshmen at Ohio State University were brought to the "dungeon" of their prospective fraternity house after breaking the rule requiring all pledges to crawl into the dining area prior to Hell Week meals. Once locked in the house storage closet, they were given only salty foods to eat for nearly two days. Nothing was provided for drinking purposes except a pair of plastic cups in which they could catch their own urine.

People join groups for many reasons, but most frequently these reasons involve some type of psychological security and protection. When dealing with groups like fraternities and sororities, an important reason is to provide security. Being part of a group implies something greater than the act of hazing; meaning the positive aspects outweigh the negative aspects when joining a group. The reasons for joining a group should be beneficial, right?

By joining a group, individuals can reduce the insecurity of standing alone. People feel stronger, have fewer self-doubts, and are more resistant to threats when they are a part of a group. People join groups for status. People join groups for power and what cannot be achieved individually often becomes possible through group action. People also join groups for goal achievement, where it takes more than one person to accomplish a particular task.

When most people hear the term "hazing" it conjures up images of fraternities. In reality however, hazing occurs in many arenas including fraternities and sororities, the military, athletic teams, and student organizations at the collegiate levels. Many believe that hazing in

fraternities and in general, is nothing more than silly antics and harmless pranks like those remembered from the 1980s hit comedy Animal House.

The realities of hazing are dramatically different than the humorous images many people associate with the term. Hazing is an abuse of power that can have debilitating and life-threatening consequences. It has been associated with more than 50 deaths in college fraternities, and countless more physical injuries including paralysis. Hazing has also conjured up devastating emotional effects that can result for many young men and women.

One of the most commonly asked questions about hazing is why do men and women participate in such horrific, and life-threatening activities just to belong to a group? This seems like a reasonable question--but it reveals the lack of understanding about the dynamics of the hazing process. For example, many states that have passed legislation to prohibit hazing have

recognized that the intensity of peer pressure, prevents hazing victims from providing true consent to participate in the activities in question.

Additionally, many prospective members don't realize, and are not informed of what the pledging process and hazing will entail, because this information is shrouded in secrecy by the brotherhood. This, combined with the increasing severity of the hazing and pledging process, places the pledge in a very vulnerable position and hence, more susceptible to victimization. Compounding these dynamics in fraternities and other groups is the desire for the pledge or prospective member to "be tough," "stick it out," etc., and prove his masculinity rather than risk being identified as a wimp or sissy.

Hazing is defined as "any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule. Such activities may include, but are not limited to, the following: use of alcohol, paddling in any form, creation of excessive fatigue, physical and psychological shocks, quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips or any other activities carried on outside or inside the confines of the chapter house, wearing of public apparel which is conspicuous and not in normally good taste, engaging in public stunts and buffoonery, morally degrading or humiliating games and activities, and any other activities which are not consistent with fraternal law, ritual or policy or the laws and policies of the educational institution."

There are many stories of the widespread variety of lengths that students will go to be part of a fraternity. Although each fraternity house will usually invent its own

hazing traditions, some are common among most Greek organizations. Using the above definition of hazing, it it easily concluded that there can be many different elements that comprise hazing.

Alcohol:

On October 30, an 18-year-old Sigma Chi pledge allegedly consumed more than 30 ounces of vodka. Sigma Chi Rush Chairperson Tim Keller called emergency crews to the fraternity house where the pledge was reportedly unconscious, and vomiting blood. According to Davis Police Lt. Steve Pierce, the ongoing inquiry is focusing on whether the pledge's drinking was part of some kind of ritual, or was just a decision he made on his own. Pledge President Jeremy Zuber told police the man was required to drink more than 30 ounces of vodka.

Paddling:

While pledging to become a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity two years ago, Floridian, Sylvester Lloyd Jr., 23, said he endured weeks of physical abuse. Including, kicking, punching, slapping, choking, being thrown into a wall, and paddlings with a one and a half inch thick wooden board, which in the end sent him to the hospital.

Excessive Fatigue:

Most if not all of the hazing activities that have been, and will be listed, will also be accompanied by fatigue. It is the number one reason that most people say they go along with these outrageous acts without getting out of their situation. Chemically, our body changes when we are deprived of sleep. We start to reach a state of depression, and have a hard time defining reality from our imagination. Lack of sleep seems to be prevalent along with most of the other areas of hazing discussed here.

Physical and psychological shocks:

Joe Snell, in late January 1993, was in the process of joining the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP) Chi Delta chapter of the black fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, when he and his six line-brothers were blindfolded. Separated, he could hear and feel dull thuds, as other pledges were "body-slammed" into a wall. When his turn came, he was also knocked down. When the battered pledges finally had their blindfolds removed, they were made to kneel down and were interrogated with a bright light shining in their eyes. "If your mother, an Omega man, and Jesus

Christ were drowning, who would you save?" Snell was asked. "I'd save my mom, then the Omega man. Jesus can save himself," he answered. He was rewarded with a beating, but actually there was no right answer.

Several members of the Chi Chapter at Stetson University in Florida, were expelled from the fraternity for shocking pledges with an electrical device. Seven years later the entire chapter endured a one year suspension for a similar incident, possibly involving the same electrical device.

Quests:

Although this author could not find a single complaint that was focused on scavenger hunts, road trips or treasure hunts, by the most definitions of hazing, they are all illegal. This is probably related to the fact that some people say that not all forms of hazing are bad. These people believe that certain activities and events should not be called hazing. Their justification is that activities such as builds, midnight scavenger hunts, and other bizarre legal things bring the pledge class together without any harm. Legally, however, anything that makes a person do

something he or she wouldn't normally do, such as traveling great distances, is considered hazing.

Public Stunts:

A fraternity at the Southwestern Illinois School of Law staged its annual rush, which included Jacqueline Farnsworth Farwell, a first year student at Southwestern, who pledged with IRL. As part of the rush activities, the pledges were required to spend a night outside in a pre-selected location. Farnwell's location was the Oak Knoll Cemetery. The purpose of this activity, as explained by Thomas Patton Dobbs, President of the fraternity, was to provide the new pledges with an extended opportunity to reflect upon their commitment to the law and the fraternity. Each pledge was permitted to wear a parka and given a wool blanket and candle. Farwell was left at the cemetery at approximately 12:30 am on Saturday morning. At approximately 7:15 am, when they returned, the fraternity could not locate Farwell. However, after a brief search, the men found Farwell's frozen body sitting against a gravestone over fifty yards away. She was wrapped in her parka and blanket, with her candle burned down to the stub in her hand. The coroner's report stated that Farwell had frozen to death, causing her heart to stop.

Morally Degrading:

With women, it's usually more psychological than it is with men. Women tend to be more vindictive. Adrian Oldham of the University of Louisville - Kentucky was mentally abused by sisters of Delta Sigma Theta sorority during the spring of 1995. She says that older sorority sisters targeted the 13 younger women's weaknesses by degrading them, calling them fat and

ugly, all the time threatening to deny them membership in the sorority.

Humiliating games: Recently a Texas A&M fraternity has been indicated on criminal hazing charges after a pledge lost a testicle as a result of a wedgie. The pledge was lifted off his feet by the underwear, causing damage to one of his testicles, said Jean Zdziarski, the assistant director of Student Life at Texas A&M. The damage required doctors to later remove the testicle.

Other:

At Monmouth College in New Jersey, members ordered five pledges to dig 6-foot "graves" on a sandy beach on the Atlantic Ocean. The five then lay down in the graves while members threw handfuls of sand on top of them. The grave of William E. Flowers Jr. collapsed, and he began inhaling sand. He died of asphyxiation.

One may read these stories and ponder as to why individuals allow themselves to be subjected to such treatment. Or, one may question why hazing occurs in the first place. However, the answer is not a simple one. There are many factors that cause this behavior to continue without the objection of either the members of the group or the pledges themselves. One theory suggests that hazing occurs to facilitate strong commitment and loyalty to the group. For example, many fraternities, as well as other groups, manipulate the material self of the pledge in order to create a new identity, one that coincides with the organization. Pledges may be forced to wear clothes or carry paddles with the Greek symbols of the fraternity. New employees within organizations may be subjected to similar forms of treatment by wearing uniforms with the company logo. All in all, this is done to facilitate group cohesiveness. In addition, fraternities may limit outside relationships that their pledges may have formed. Again, this type of treatment leads to stronger group commitment.

There are hundreds of more publicly known stories about hazing, and certainly thousands more that are simply not talked about. As stated earlier, hazing is an epidemic that must be stopped not only here on college campuses, but also all over the world. This article has dealt mostly with the hazing that is involved in the Greek system, but remember, hazing is everywhere. It is on your sports teams, it is in your work place. Only by standing up and making a commitment to not continue the legacy of hazing, will you make a difference.

If you are being hazed (in your social or professional life), please contact someone. Your coach, an administrator, a close friend, the police, or visit www.stophazing.org to get more information. In the UB Greek system, please contact Pam Stephans-Jackson at stepjack@buffalo.edu. Or contact the Office of Ombudsman for general information, or to file a complaint at 645-6154.