Danny Chen’s Story
Danny Chen, a 19-year-old Army private from New York, died by suicide on October 3, 2011, while deployed in Afghanistan. His death followed hazing and racial bullying from fellow soldiers. Being of Chinese descent, Chen endured racial slurs like “gook” and “chink,” along with physical abuse. He was forced to crawl across gravel while rocks were thrown at him and subjected to extreme physical exercises, including push-ups with a heavy backpack that caused severe exhaustion. This constant abuse and isolation ultimately led to his mental deterioration and death.
Jonathan Martin’s Case
Jonathan Martin, a 24-year-old offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins, left the team due to harassment from teammates, particularly Richie Incognito. Martin faced racially charged texts, threats, and constant verbal abuse. The toxic locker-room culture blurred the lines between team bonding and hazing, pressuring him into uncomfortable situations. Martin’s emotional distress led him to leave the Dolphins and seek mental health treatment.
Matthew Carrington’s Death
Matthew Carrington, a 21-year-old student at California State University, Chico, died during a fraternity hazing ritual. He was forced to drink excessive water while exercising, leading to water intoxication (hyponatremia), brain swelling, and death. This incident also highlighted how fraternity culture spilled into Carrington’s workplace, creating an environment where loyalty was tested through extreme and dangerous rituals.
Differences Between Traditional and Non-Traditional Hazing
Environment and Culture
Traditional Hazing (e.g., fraternities, student organizations): Often seen as a “rite of passage” to establish hierarchy and bonding.
Non-Traditional Hazing (e.g., military, workplaces, sports teams): More ingrained in the hierarchy, justified as testing toughness or work ethic, making it harder to distinguish from legitimate training.
Power Dynamics
Traditional Hazing: Typically involves peers of similar age and authority.
Non-Traditional Hazing: Often carried out by people in formal authority, where refusal may have career repercussions.
Purpose and Justification
Traditional Hazing: Focused on proving loyalty and earning a place in a group.
Non-Traditional Hazing: Framed as part of initiation or preparation for demanding environments like the military or professional sports.
Consequences and Impact
Traditional Hazing: Often leads to social or psychological consequences within the specific group.
Non-Traditional Hazing: Can cause long-term psychological trauma, career setbacks, and damage to reputations.
Legal and Institutional Response
Traditional Hazing: Schools and universities often have anti-hazing policies, though enforcement varies.
Non-Traditional Hazing: More difficult to address due to entrenched traditions and power dynamics in environments like the military or professional settings.
Mental Health Impact of Non-Traditional Hazing
Hazing in non-traditional settings, such as the military or workplaces, often leads to anxiety, depression, and PTSD. For people of color (POC), these experiences are exacerbated by racial bias and systemic inequality, leading to isolation, trauma, and long-term psychological damage.
The Rise of Hazing and Cultural Shifts
Hazing in non-traditional settings is on the rise, driven in part by social media. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok amplify incidents, turning them into spectacles for attention. Hazing is also influenced by evolving ideas of masculinity and group loyalty, further normalizing aggressive initiation rituals under the guise of “team building.”
The Dangers of Passive Recording
In settings like the workplace or military, passive recording of hazing incidents escalates harm. Individuals often record hazing rather than intervening, contributing to the bystander effect. The presence of a camera can lead to participants escalating their behavior to “perform” for the recording, reinforcing toxic group dynamics.
Research on Passive Recording and Hazing
Bystander Effect: Recording rather than intervening reinforces a culture of inaction.
Escalation of Behavior: The presence of recording devices can encourage participants to intensify their actions for approval.
Psychological Impact: Victims suffer lasting psychological harm, especially when hazing is shared on social media.
Cultural Shift: Social media has normalized the documentation of hazing instead of intervention, desensitizing individuals to its effects.
Notable Hazing Lawsuits
New Mexico State University Settlement (2023): Two former basketball players settled for $8 million after alleging sexual assault and hazing by teammates, with the coaching staff failing to act (ESPN, 2023).
Bowling Green State University Settlement (2022): The family of Stone Foltz, a student who died after a hazing incident, received a nearly $3 million settlement (ABC News, 2022).
Northwestern University Hazing Scandal (2023): Multiple athletes sued the university for hazing, sexual abuse, and racial discrimination within athletic programs, claiming that coaches were aware of but did not intervene. One player described being forced into “sexualized hazing rituals,” including a “naked pass rush” and the “Car Wash.” (AP News, 2023).
Texas A&M Army Corps of Cadets Lawsuit (2023): A student alleged “humiliating and degrading” hazing by fellow cadets, seeking $1 million in damages for physical and emotional harm.
Though hazing lawsuits in non-traditional settings remain underreported and often settled out of court, the impact of such cases on victims is severe, both legally and psychologically. Hazing continues to persist in many environments, particularly those with entrenched power structures, creating lasting harm to individuals involved. While these cases highlight instances where legal action was taken, comprehensive statistics on the prevalence and outcomes of such lawsuits are limited. These incidents are often underreported, and many cases are settled out of court, resulting in a lack of publicly available data.
Hazing in non-traditional settings like the military, workplaces, and sports teams reflects a troubling persistence of abuse hidden under the guise of ‘tradition’ or ‘initiation.’ The psychological and physical toll on victims is profound, with lasting consequences that go beyond the immediate trauma. For those enduring such abuse, the fear of retaliation, career repercussions, or being ostracized often prevents them from speaking up. As we continue to hear more stories of individuals like Danny Chen and Jonathan Martin, it’s critical to challenge the toxic cultures that allow hazing to thrive. Institutions must be proactive in preventing these harmful practices, fostering environments that prioritize respect, safety, and mental well-being over outdated and dangerous rituals. Empathy and accountability are key to breaking the cycle of hazing, ensuring that no individual suffers silently while enduring abuse disguised as camaraderie or team building.
Vishwani’s opinions are her own and are for informational purposes only. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, or provide medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized medical care.
Vishwani Sahai-Siddiqui is a residency- and fellowship-trained psychiatrist, now a medical writer and editor, and the owner of The Cognitive Quill. For more information, please visit cognitivequill.com or email vishwanipsychmd@gmail.com.
Articles in This Series
- The Long-Term Psychological Effects of Hazing and How We Can Prevent Them
- The Mental Health Impact of Hazing on Bystanders
- Under the Influence – How Hazing Drives Substance Use Among Students
- What Makes a Bully? Can Hazing Culture Temporarily Warp Someone’s Moral Compass?
- Beyond the Locker Room: Unmasking Hazing in the Military, Workplaces, and Sports Teams
References
ABC News. (2022). Parents speak after winning $3 million settlement for son’s hazing death. ABC News. Retrieved from https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/News/parents-speak-after-winning-3-million-settlement-sons/story?id=96632129
Allan, E. J., & Madden, M. (2008). Hazing in View: College Students at Risk. Initial Findings from the National Study of Student Hazing.
AP News. (2023). Northwestern faces multiple lawsuits over hazing, abuse scandals in sports programs. AP News. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/northwestern-football-hazing-lawsuit-fitzgerald-fcb2762701e3af096ac929c0d4120a9d
Brooks, R. T., & Anderson, W. J. (2021). Cultural Shifts in Group Behavior: The Rise of Hazing in Corporate and Non-Traditional Settings. Organizational Dynamics, 50(3), 251-263.Journal of Social Psychology, 30(1), 41-67.
ESPN. (2023). New Mexico State to pay $8M to settle hazing lawsuit. ESPN. Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/37929831/new-mexico-state-pay-8-million-settle-hazing-lawsuit
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Johnson, C. A., & Taylor, S. P. (2022). Prejudice and Hazing: A Multidimensional Analysis of Discrimination in Military and Sports Teams. Social Psychology Quarterly, 85(1), 67-85.
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North Carolina State University. (2021). Hazing research and statistics. Hazing Prevention Resource Center. Retrieved from https://hazing.dasa.ncsu.edu/resources/hazing-research/
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