#theuglytruthsofhazinginfraternity

I remember hearing sounds coming from our neighborhood when I was a kid. My cousin's home was the source of those noises. There are numerous young adults in their home almost every night. Their second story is the precise location from which those noises are emanating. Not only are there noises of laughter, but also sounds of crying and someone being beaten. My mother then started mentioning fraternities. I'm not sure what it means. One thing I do know is that some of my older cousins belong to different group fraternity. They are all in high school now; I was in elementary school. I was a little perplexed as to why they felt the need to harm a new member of their organization in order to gauge their devotion.

Regardless of a person's willingness to participate, hazing is any behavior that is demanded of someone entering or participating in a group and which humiliates, degrades, abuses, or puts them in danger. Although frequently connected with collegiate fraternities, hazing occurs in a variety of settings. Hazing incidents happen in a variety of clubs, organizations, and teams as well as in a range of contexts, such as middle and high schools, colleges and universities, the military, and workplaces. The death of John Matthew Salilig, a student at Adamson University, was killed by his purported fraternity "brothers," which should serve as a warning to everyone, especially those who have family members who are enrolled in colleges or universities. Hazing is still a problem in many schools as well as other Philippine institutions. In fact, Salilig's story is prompting other residents who had previously kept quiet to speak up about how their own relatives had suffered similar injustices. The majority of fraternities enforce their claims of exclusivity through difficult initiation procedures, under the assumption that the organization is distinguished because it is only open to those applicants who can withstand verbal, physical, and even mental abuse. Even the most brilliant students are drawn to this fraternity habit, according to social psychologists, because it gives their egos a boost of endurance and physical prowess.

Those guilty for the hazing death of John Matthew Salilig and who have likely also wounded others should receive the lengthy prison terms they deserve. The Anti-Hazing Law needs to be improved and its weaknesses fixed. One can only hope that will contribute to a decrease in the number of people who are victims of the culture of violence and impunity that so distressingly permeates Philippine society as a whole.

©jansal

Picture from Gavin Klinger(2017)

References:

https://stophazing.org/issue/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bworldonline.com/opinion/2023/03/09/509697/hazing-and-the-culture-of-violence/%3famp?espv=1