UConn Hazing

[DrPhil]

OPhiAGinger, I don't see a connection between having minimal or no exposure to Greek Life and speaking to the media/the involvement of Gloria Allred.

There are colleges and universities in Hawaii and at least one school has Greek Life.

Moreover, the average college student in the USA has minimal or no exposure to Greek Life. That's especially the case for first generation college students and racial and ethnic minorities. Yet most of these people wouldn't think to go to the media to report an unfavorable experience as a pledge, let alone as an active member. For most of these people even contacting the school is a huge feat so contacting the police is relatively uncommon. They definitely would be unlikely to contact the media.

Luckily, some of our GLOs expel members (and ban applicants for membership) if they report something that was either fabricated or was their own doing (having regrets doesn't mean someone harmed you against your will).

[OPhiAGinger]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

OPhiAGinger, I don't see a connection between having minimal or no exposure to Greek Life and speaking to the media/the involvement of Gloria Allred.

Hearing personal stories from friends who were in a sorority (including stories about fraternity parties and alcohol) would have given her context for that night even if those stories didn't exactly match what happened at the SAE house. We all evaluate situations based on our personal experiences and the experiences of other people we trust. Without much (if any) personal experience with fraternity parties, she didn't have much material to evaluate whether that night at the SAE house was no big deal or something major.

That lack of context coupled with her being older when she entered the Greek world makes her reaction much more understandable. Teenagers are much more likely to accept undesirable situations, especially if they think it's something that everybody else accepts without question (based on what they've heard through their network). Twenty-somethings are more confident about pushing back. And if she felt that this "hazing" was part of a bigger, ongoing, pervasive problem at UConn she might have felt obligated to shine a spotlight on it to help eradicate that kind of behavior.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by OPhiAGinger

Twenty-somethings are more confident about pushing back. And if she felt that this "hazing" was part of a bigger, ongoing, pervasive problem at UConn she might have felt obligated to shine a spotlight on it to help eradicate that kind of behavior.

And engage the services of the feminist movement's version of Jesse Jackson? Nah, it makes her look like she's trying to cash in.

Maybe there's a book deal in the works?

[OPhiAGinger]

Gloria Allred is a pretty big spotlight to shine on it, wouldn't you say?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by OPhiAGinger

Gloria Allred is a pretty big spotlight to shine on it, wouldn't you say?

Embarrasingly big. Big enough to lead some to suspect that this has nothing to do with feeling obigated to shine a light on bad behavior—that's what police and college administrators, or even the local press, are for—and lots to do with attention and money.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by OPhiAGinger

Hearing personal stories from friends who were in a sorority (including stories about fraternity parties and alcohol) would have given her context for that night even if those stories didn't exactly match what happened at the SAE house. We all evaluate situations based on our personal experiences and the experiences of other people we trust. Without much (if any) personal experience with fraternity parties, she didn't have much material to evaluate whether that night at the SAE house was no big deal or something major.

That lack of context coupled with her being older when she entered the Greek world makes her reaction much more understandable. Teenagers are much more likely to accept undesirable situations, especially if they think it's something that everybody else accepts without question (based on what they've heard through their network). Twenty-somethings are more confident about pushing back. And if she felt that this "hazing" was part of a bigger, ongoing, pervasive problem at UConn she might have felt obligated to shine a spotlight on it to help eradicate that kind of behavior.

What does this have to do with going to the media?

Pushing back doesn't include going to the media.

For example, in the NPHC, the majority of people going through collegiate and alumnae/alumni/graduate intake, and who are new members, are 20 yo and older. Many of them don't feel comfortable pushing back but those who do are not inclined to contact the media. Alcohol plays a very small or nonexistent role in most NPHC antics but other claims of mistreatment are taken more seriously when the accuser doesn't bypass other means and seek the media.

[OPhiAGinger]

If someone wanted to handle an issue discreetly, then yes, they would take it to the organization(s) involved. If they thought a crime was broken, they would take it to the local police. But if they thought that this was part of an ongoing pervasive problem that those existing organizations had not dealt with after multiple opportunities (i.e., a pattern of hazing at UConn) then it makes sense to get the media involved.

I'm just saying that there is a rational thought process that leads to media involvement, other than the hope for a big cash payoff. None of us knows what really happened that night or what this young lady's motivations are. I'm just offering an alternate perspective.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by OPhiAGinger

If someone wanted to handle an issue discreetly, then yes, they would take it to the organization(s) involved. If they thought a crime was broken, they would take it to the local police. But if they thought that this was part of an ongoing pervasive problem that those existing organizations had not dealt with after multiple opportunities (i.e., a pattern of hazing at UConn) then it makes sense to get the media involved.

Then stop attributing this to Hawaii, age, and transfer student. Just say she wanted to make some noise.

[33girl]

That 73% were hazed statistic is ridiculous. More likely than not, people were asked questions that were framed to elicit a certain answer and then twisted. Shame on Katie Couric for buying into this.

[Nanners52674]

Originally Posted by OPhiAGinger

Hearing personal stories from friends who were in a sorority (including stories about fraternity parties and alcohol) would have given her context for that night even if those stories didn't exactly match what happened at the SAE house. We all evaluate situations based on our personal experiences and the experiences of other people we trust. Without much (if any) personal experience with fraternity parties, she didn't have much material to evaluate whether that night at the SAE house was no big deal or something major.

That lack of context coupled with her being older when she entered the Greek world makes her reaction much more understandable. Teenagers are much more likely to accept undesirable situations, especially if they think it's something that everybody else accepts without question (based on what they've heard through their network). Twenty-somethings are more confident about pushing back. And if she felt that this "hazing" was part of a bigger, ongoing, pervasive problem at UConn she might have felt obligated to shine a spotlight on it to help eradicate that kind of behavior.

Are you kidding me? She's 22, if a 22 yr old can't assess if a situation might be negative, unacceptable or a bad idea she's got much bigger problems than hazing.

And just because I'm not sure since from your posts it sounds like you're saying she showed up at uconn this fall is a new member.

She's a 22 yr old initiated member, she has her own responsibility in this, it didn't only happen TO her.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by OPhiAGinger

Dr Phil, it's not as simple as someone just wanting to make some noise. My points about being from Hawaii (and thus being introduced to sorority life at a later age with little context) speak to *why* she felt the situation at SAE was a big deal. And that's why she called the police and went to the media.

Do you know how many people in this country join fraternities and sororities having had little to no experience with Greek life prior to them going through recruitment? A lot. I'm one of them. Being from Hawaii has nothing to do with this.

However, I do agree that this argument may have some merit in this situation:

Originally Posted by OPhiAGinger

And if she felt that this "hazing" was part of a bigger, ongoing, pervasive problem at UConn she might have felt obligated to shine a spotlight on it to help eradicate that kind of behavior.