Society Initiations: Tradition or Torture? 

By Katie McShane

Fresher initiations have long been a pillar of university clubs and societies. Mainly found among sports clubs and marketed as ‘welcome event’, these hazing’s are nothing short of humiliation rituals disguised as team bonding. But the tide is beginning to turn on hazing; universities across the UK are beginning to ban initiations from taking place. However, this has not prevented the most determined societies from taking place, hiding their intentions under the guise of ‘welcoming’ the new freshers. Which begs the question: Are these initiations an important part of society tradition, or just plain torture?  

What is Hazing? 

An American study 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 [1].  With particular emphasis on elements of humiliation, degradation, and abuse, hazing does not include team games or socials unless any of the prior are included. This same survey found that over a quarter of a million students reported being hazed upon joining a society, with one in five having experienced unacceptable and potentially illegal acts.  

Hazing is not only an American invention, but these rituals are also thriving up and down the UK. However, there is much less official research found on the subject, possibly because most initiations go against a university’s code of conduct and remain covert. Despite this, there are numerous reports from students on the different kinds of initiations taking place in UK universities. The Manchester Tab reported rugby prospects having to apple bob with dead rats [2]. And Edinburgh University has banned a rugby team for forcing newcomers to eat cat food. [3] 

The Question of Alcohol 

Alcohol has long been considered one of the main factors in problematic initiations. In 2016, a first-year student at Newcastle University, Ned Farmer, tragically passed away following an initiation event [4]. In the wake of his death, Newcastle University, alongside advocacy groups such as Universities UK, as well as BUCS (British University and College Sport), held roundtable talks and eventually compiled their discussions in one document, in which they condemn initiations.  

In America, it was found that over half of all athletes surveyed had taken part in an initiation involving alcohol. It can be assumed that the UK number tops this based on the fact that UK students, on average, drink more than US students [5]. A dangerous statistic considering that more and more spirits are the chosen drink for students. It was found that at the pub crawl where Ned Farmer lost his life, rounds of 100 triple vodka shots had been ordered [6]. 

Dangerous acts and Sexual abuse 

It isn’t only an overconsumption of alcohol that is problematic about these rituals; it’s that often there is a dangerous or sometimes sexual element that adds to the degradation. Some societies’ initiations include nudity, wearing little clothes, or other sexual acts. These fall on a very thin line of forms of sexual assault. If it’s coerced or pressured (as most hazing’s are due to fear of ostracism or bullying), it is not consensual. 

University leaders have begun to warn students, not only of the dangers involved in participating in initiations, but the risks associated with organising them. In a letter alongside BUCS, Universities UK warned that torture in the UK serves a life sentence and that “The defence of ‘But I’m a student’ would also not stand up in court if matters went that far” [7]. 

Can initiations be acceptable 

The answer can be a tricky one. Of course, there can be initiation events that don’t fall under the definition of ‘hazing’ and that aren’t abusive, degrading, or dangerous – all indicators of illegal and immoral initiating. Examples of acceptable initiations were even shown in Nadine C. Hoover’s study of American Colleges. Acceptable initiations can look like team bonding trips, dressing up together for team functions, or volunteering together [8]. However, acceptable initiations only work when students aren’t coerced, bullied, or humiliated into participating. They must be fun and consensual for everyone. 

Conclusion 

Currently, there are no set guidelines against initiations: many universities have banned them on their own accord, but often these bans are not enforced. The current guidelines advise students to turn to their own university advisory committees for complaints [9]. But the tide is beginning to turn for students, too. Student Kieran Matthews at Royal Gordon University in Aberdeen launched the campaign #FullTimeOnInitiations as part of his role as President of Sport and Physical Activity. The campaign aimed to tackle harmful initiations and the role they play on students’ mental health – especially targeting sports teams [10]. An initiative that hopefully spreads further to universities across the UK.  

References

1 – Hoover, N. C. & Alfred University. (1999). National Survey: Initiation Rites and Athletics for NCAA sports teams. https://www.alfred.edu/about/news/studies/_docs/hazing.pdf 

2 – Soen, H. (2018, November 1). Eating live goldfish and sliding in vomit: Inside the UK’s most grim initiations. The Tab. https://archive.thetab.com/uk/2018/11/01/worst-university-initiation-horror-stories-85045 

3 – Reid, A. (2021, December 1). Scotland’s Rural College rugby team forced new player to eat cat food and strip. The Times. https://www.thetimes.com/sport/rugby-union/article/scotlands-rural-college-rugby-team-forced-new-player-to-eat-cat-food-and-strip-3q29zv6zw?msockid=1f43347244496ef2274f22e145946f33 

4 – Pa, B. a. K. a. T. W. (2019, September 22). New advice to students on university initiations. BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/new-advice-to-students-on-university-initiations/38523572.html 

5 – Lafferty, M., Wakefield, C., & Brown, H. (2016). “We do it for the team” – Student-athletes’ initiation practices and their impact on group cohesion. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 15(4), 438–446. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197x.2015.1121507 

6 – Busby, E. (2019, December 26). UK universities struggling to stop dangerous initiation ceremonies and hazing rituals, figures reveal | The Independent. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/hazing-initiation-ceremonies-universities-students-alcohol-binge-drinking-ed-farmer-a9255776.html 

7 – Horne, M. (2021, December 27). Organisers of student hazing rituals face jail for torture, universities told. The Times. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/education/article/organisers-of-student-hazing-rituals-face-jail-for-torture-universities-told-ctqc8fsmw 

8 – Hoover, N. C. & Alfred University. (1999). National Survey: Initiation Rites and Athletics for NCAA sports teams. https://www.alfred.edu/about/news/studies/_docs/hazing.pdf 

9 – BBC News. (2018, November 29). What are your rights on university initiation ceremonies. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-46385437 

10 – #FullTimeOnInitiations: The RGU Sport’s campaign kickstarting respect for student’s mental health. (n.d.). https://www.rguunion.co.uk/news/article/radar/FullTimeOnInitiations-The-RGU-Sports-Campaign-Kickstarting-Respect-for-Students-Mental-Health/ 

Universities Uk’s statement – initiations-in-uk-universities.pdf