A 2024 hazing incident involving the University of Iowa’s Alpha Delta Phi fraternity is going viral across social media. Police-worn body camera footage depicted more than 50 blindfolded pledges covered in ketchup, mustard and alcohol.
In the video, an officer asks the room of shirtless men, “Does anyone want to be forthcoming on what’s going on? Anyone? Because you’ve got to see it from my perspective of, ‘What the f— did I just walk in to?'”
But this incident is far from the only hazing incident that has plagued Iowa colleges and universities over the years.
What is hazing?
Hazing is a ritual that involves risk, pain or harm to gain some form of initiation. It’s not limited to college students. It can occur in a variety of settings, such as work or even family events. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine defined hazing as: “committing acts against an individual or forcing an individual into committing an act that creates a risk for harm in order for the individual to be initiated into or affiliated with an organization.”…