St. Joseph's Investigates Softball Team Hazing Allegations

Humiliating and demeaning acts of initiation known on college campuses as hazing have returned to the headlines in the Philadelphia region. This time, however, the allegations do not accuse a football team or fraternity of roughing up its new members.

The latest incident involves the seemingly rare occurrence of women hazing each other. According to reports from 6ABC, four St. Joseph’s University softball players have been suspended from the team while an investigation continues into allegations of hazing.

The accusation was made public earlier this month when the school delayed the team’s bus departure to Virginia to conduct interviews with the players, philly.com reports. A note was reportedly given to freshman players to perform a series of tasks involving alcohol, lap dances and inappropriate touching.

One of the four softball players suspended by St. Joseph’s University has apologized for the situation, according to a letter obtained by 6ABC. The unnamed player confirms the existence of the written instructions, but they were meant to be voluntary, not required.

Hazing rituals have been found historically in male locker rooms and fraternities, but national statistics show that it can be just as prevalent for female athletes. Last week, the University of Memphis in Tennessee suspended a sorority from campus for three years after details leaked of a violent hazing incident from February 2014 that sent one pledge to the hospital with a broken nose.

According to figures posted by psychologist Dr. Susan Lipkins on insidehazing.com:

• 50 percent of female NCAA Division I athletes report being hazed.
• More than 20 percent of female NCAA athletes were subjected to alcohol-related hazing; however even a higher percentage admitted to “mental hazing” which ranged from singing to being kidnapped.
• 10 percent of female NCAA athletes were physically hazed including being branded, tattooed, beaten thrown in water of having their head forcibly shaved.
• 6-9 percent of female NCAA athletes were subjected to sexually related hazing including harassment, actual assault or being expected to simulate sex activities.

The most recent major cases of student hazing in the area implicated high school sports teams. The Central Bucks West football team in Doylestown had its season suddenly canceled and head coach fired in October amid hazing allegations. Days later, an investigation was launched into accusations against the Cheltenham High School boys soccer team in Montgomery County.

Pennsylvania has outlawed hazing activities, making it a third degree misdemeanor for someone to perform any action ”which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student or which willfully destroys or removes public or private property for the purpose of initiation or admission” into a group affiliated with an institute of higher learning.

The law also requires colleges and universities to enact anti-hazing policies, with penalties that could include fines, withholding of diplomas, suspension or dismissal from the school.

The St. Joseph’s University Handbook states its anti-hazing policy as the following:

“Saint Joseph’s University prohibits all forms of hazing. The Anti-Hazing Law of Pennsylvania states that any person who causes or participates in hazing commits a misdemeanor of the third degree…[and] individuals found responsible of hazing may be fined, placed on probation, suspended or dismissed.”