What are Initiation Rites and Hazing?

Across societies and time, people have initiated new members into groups, through ceremonies and rituals designed to foster a feeling of belonging. Yet sometimes those rites or activities cross the line into hazing - behavior that is humiliating, dangerous or even illegal. Because people's perceptions of hazing vary, it is difficult to delineate positive or acceptable initiation rites from questionable or unacceptable ones.

We defined hazing as "any activity expected of someone joining a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses or endangers, regardless of the person's willingness to participate. This does not include activities such as rookies carrying the balls, team parties with community games, or going out with your teammates, unless an atmosphere of humiliation, degradation, abuse or danger arises." (2) This definition was printed clearly at the beginning of our survey forms.

Under this definition, 45 percent of the respondents reported that they knew of, had heard of, or suspected hazing on their campuses. Only 12 percent reported being hazed for athletics. Eighty percent, however, reported being subjected to one or more typical hazing behaviors as part of their team initiations. So, while students would acknowledge a wide range of hazing-type behaviors, they most often were reluctant to label them "hazing." This reluctance is understandable, particularly considering that hazing is a crime in 41 states.

The following tables display the athletes' reports of initiation behaviors, divided into four mutually exclusive categories:

  • acceptable behaviors (only positive activities).
  • questionable behaviors (humiliating or degrading activities, but no dangerous or potentially illegal, activities).
  • alcohol-related activities (drinking contests, exclusive of other dangerous or potentially illegal activities).
  • unacceptable and potentially illegal behaviors (activities that carry a high probability of danger or injury, or could result in criminal charges).

The prevalence of hazing became far clearer when we looked at component behaviors. One hundred percent of athletes responding to the survey were involved in some form of initiation onto their athletic teams. Nearly all were expected to participate in acceptable behaviors. However, 80 percent were also subjected to other forms of initiation that are questionable, alcohol-related, and unacceptable.

Twenty percent reported being involved in ONLY acceptable initiation activities. Even though athletes must perform to specific standards (skill level, performance in a sport or maintaining a specific GPA) in order to qualify for a team, the prevalence of hazing behaviors suggests that such acceptable activities are not enough. Athletes seem to need activities specifically designed for initiation, and if those are not provided, they will create their own.

Percentage of Athletes Participating in Acceptable Initiation Activities
Acceptable Initiation Activities Male 877 (n) Female 1142 (n) Total 2027 (n)

Acceptable Initiation Activities

Attending pre-season training

Male 877

89%

(n)

728

Female 1142

89%

(n)

983

Total 2027

88%

(n)

1716

Acceptable Initiation Activities

Testing for skill, endurance, or performance in a sport

Male 877

78%

(n)

678

Female 1142

78%

(n)

859

Total 2027

79%

(n)

1540

Acceptable Initiation Activities

Keeping a specific grade point average

Male 877

72%

(n)

612

Female 1142

78%

(n)

861

Total 2027

75%

(n)

1478

Acceptable Initiation Activities

Dressing up for team functions (besides uniforms)

Male 877

69%

(n)

591

Female 1142

75%

(n)

843

Total 2027

73%

(n)

1438

Acceptable Initiation Activities

Attending a skit night or team roast

Male 877

54%

(n)

457

Female 1142

57%

(n)

632

Total 2027

55%

(n)

1092

Acceptable Initiation Activities

Doing volunteer community service

Male 877

45%

(n)

383

Female 1142

54%

(n)

601

Total 2027

50%

(n)

987

Acceptable Initiation Activities

Taking an oath or signing a contract of standards

Male 877

44%

(n)

380

Female 1142

54%

(n)

602

Total 2027

50%

(n)

985

Acceptable Initiation Activities

Completing a ropes course or team trip

Male 877

29%

(n)

252

Female 1142

43%

(n)

475

Total 2027

37%

(n)

729

Acceptable Initiation Activities

Total of athletes involved in at least one acceptable activity

Male 877

96%

(n)

838

Female 1142

97%

(n)

1102

Total 2027

96%

(n)

1945

Female athletes were significantly more likely to be involved exclusively in acceptable initiation activities and male athletes were significantly more likely to be involved in hazing behaviors. Still, as the tables below show, hazing was nearly as common among women as men.

Percentage of Athletes Participating in Questionable Initiation Activities
Questionable Initiation Activities Male (n) Female (n) Total (n)

Questionable Initiation Activities

Being yelled, cursed, or sworn at

Male

38%

(n)

326

Female

25%

(n)

286

Total

31%

(n)

614

Questionable Initiation Activities

Being forced to wear embarrassing clothing

Male

22%

(n)

194

Female

33%

(n)

373

Total

29%

(n)

571

Questionable Initiation Activities

Tattooing, piercing, head shaving, or branding

Male

32%

(n)

278

Female

24%

(n)

272

Total

28%

(n)

552

Questionable Initiation Activities

Participating in calisthenics not related to a sport

Male

14%

(n)

125

Female

11%

(n)

127

Total

13%

(n)

253

Questionable Initiation Activities

Associating with specific people, not others

Male

12%

(n)

101

Female

11%

(n)

124

Total

11%

(n)

226

Questionable Initiation Activities

Acting as personal servant to players off the field, court

Male

10%

(n)

85>

Female

8%

(n)

95

Total

9%

(n)

181>

Questionable Initiation Activities

Being forced to deprive oneself of food, sleep, or hygiene

Male

7%

(n)

56

Female

8%

(n)

85

Total

7%

(n)

141

Questionable Initiation Activities

Consuming extremely spicy/disgusting concoctions

Male

8%

(n)

69

Female

5%

(n)

60

Total

6%

(n)

129

Questionable Initiation Activities

Total involved in at least one questionable activity

Male

68%

(n)

594

Female

63%

(n)

719

Total

65%

(n)

1318

The odds are high that a team that engages in questionable initiation activities will also engage in unacceptable activities. Although seemingly harmless,questionable activities are often a warning sign of more dangerous and destructive behavior. Over 80 percent of the athletes who were subjected to questionable initiation activities were also subjected to unacceptable activities. Dismissing questionable initiation activities as harmless is a common response, but by doing so, we may be ignoring more serious problems.

Percentage of Athletes Engaged in Questionable Activities Who Participated in At Least One Unacceptable Act
Questionable Activities %

Questionable Activities

Being yelled, cursed, or sworn at

%

81%

Questionable Activities

Tattooing, piercing, head shaving, or branding

%

81%

Questionable Activities

Being forced to wear embarrassing clothing

%

85%

Questionable Activities

Participating in calisthenics not related to a sport

%

98%

Questionable Activities

Associating with specific people, not others

%

98%

Questionable Activities

Being forced to deprive oneself of food, sleep, or hygiene

%

99%

Questionable Activities

Acting as personal servant to players off the field, court

%

100%

Questionable Activities

Consuming extremely spicy/disgusting concoctions

%

100%

We know that many hazing deaths involve alcohol, either because students' judgment is impaired and they take risks they would not otherwise take, or because they overdose on alcohol. Respondents confirm that alcohol plays a major role in hazing to join athletic teams, with more than half of the athletes saying they were involved in alcohol-related initiation activities.

Percentage of Athletes Participating in Alcohol-Related Initiation Activities
Alcohol-related Initiation Activities Male (n) Female (n) Total (n)

Alcohol-related Initiation Activities

Consuming alcohol on recruitment visits

Male

42%

(n)

364

Female

39%

(n)

442

Total

42%

(n)

809

Alcohol-related Initiation Activities

Participating in a drinking contest

Male

35%

(n)

302

Female

34%

(n)

387

Total

35%

(n)

693

Alcohol-related Initiation Activities

Total involved in any alcohol-related activity

Male

52%

(n)

456

Female

51%

(n)

582

Total

51%

(n)

1042

One out of every five athletes (27 percent of men, 16 percent of women) participated in one or more unacceptable initiation rites, those that carry a high probability of danger or injury, or could result in criminal charges.

Percentage of Athletes Participating in Unacceptable Initiation Activities
Other Unacceptable Initiation Activities Male (n) Female (n) Total (n)

Other Unacceptable Initiation Activities

Making prank calls or harassing others

Male

12%

(n)

105

Female

8%

(n)

91

Total

10%

(n)

197

Other Unacceptable Initiation Activities

Destroying or stealing property

Male

11%

(n)

91

Female

5%

(n)

59

Total

7%

(n)

50

Other Unacceptable Initiation Activities

Engaging in or simulating sexual acts

Male

7%

(n)

64

Female

5%

(n)

52

Total

6%

(n)

116

Other Unacceptable Initiation Activities

Being tied up, taped, or confined in small spaces

Male

8%

(n)

65

Female

3%

(n)

29

Total

5%

(n)

94

Other Unacceptable Initiation Activities

Being paddled, whipped, beaten, kicked; beating others

Male

5%

(n)

42

Female

1%

(n)

13

Total

3%

(n)

55

Other Unacceptable Initiation Activities

Being kidnapped or transported and abandoned

Male

4%

(n)

33

Female

2%

(n)

19

Total

3%

(n)

52

Other Unacceptable Initiation Activities

Total involved in any one unacceptable activity

Male

27%

(n)

234

Female

16%

(n)

183

Total

21%

(n)

418

For 17 percent of the respondents, however, initiation goes beyond a single infraction. These athletes - overwhelmingly men - found themselves deeply immersed in a culture of hazing. They participated in or were subjected to five or more hazing behaviors. Factor analysis reported six distinct clusters of related behaviors. Further study into this clustering phenomenon, in which subcultures of hazing behavior seem to emerge, may offer insights into detection and prevention strategies.

(2) Many of the 41 states with anti-hazing laws limit their definition of hazing, often eliminating humiliation as an element. Many of the laws are specifically targeted to fraternity hazing, and do not cover athletic or high school hazing. State laws also vary on whether or not consent of the person hazed is included in the definition of hazing. (Source: Hank Nuwer)

(3) It should be noted that many athletes participating in alcohol-related initiation activities are under the legal drinking age of 21. In such instances, alcohol-related initiation rites are illegal.