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Bullying
Hazing
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
What are the warning signs of hazing?
How can you know when hazing will get out of control? Here are some warning signs:
- The group leaders are very mean
- You have heard about dangerous hazing activities from others who have been through it before
- You feel a knot in your stomach – trust your instincts!
- You have been warned by teachers or other adults that the group is dangerous
- You have seen the group make others do things that are against your morals or values
- You feel afraid to break away from the group
What can you do if you are being hazed and feel you are in danger?
- Create a connection with your friends, and have a plan in case a dangerous situation comes up
- Pick a trusted adult, and tell him or her what is happening
Remember – no one has a right to hurt you!
In a Chicago suburb, a powder puff football game between junior and senior girls turned ugly. Seniors kicked and punched the juniors and smeared them with a mixture of house paint, fish guts, pig intestines, blood, and human feces and urine. A number of the juniors were injured and had to be taken to the local hospital. One had a broken foot and another girl needed 16 stitches in her head. And those are just the physical injuries they suffered.
Source: CNN
Content last updated September 22, 2009
