Humiliations disguised as tradition. Attacks that are called a joke. Abuses of power that have gone silent for decades. Hazing among Spanish university students continues to be a reality for those who land on a campus for the first time and feel obligated to participate in these “welcome tests” to be part of the group. “You will find yourself friendless if you don’t.” For years, this has been the expression with which veterans have greeted new ones at the door of residences and dormitories. And from there to a veritable gymkhana of torture where everything is permitted. Students forced to drink alcoholdressing a certain way, not being allowed to comb your hair or shower, having to sleep on the floor of a veteran’s room for weeks, hanging objects from the genitalsput your hand in the toaster or burn your hair. The list of humiliations is endless and varied, although they are increasingly persecuted and worse.
The only association against hazing that exists in Spain, No Más Hazing (NMN), was founded in La Coruña in 2011 and has since worked to denounce this type of abuse and eradicate what many call “hazing rituals”. ‘initiation’. “There is no light hazing because it is part of this ‘I’m in charge’ environment of domination and submission.to belong to a group to which in fact you already belong”, introduces in a conversation with ABC the president of this association, Loreto González-Dopeso, who assures that the situation has improved in recent years, even if “there are still a way to go.” “The evolution has been slow but positive given the fact that the horizon is still far away”, confirms the psychologist, who at each start of the course contemplates the way in which abuse persists through calls, mainly from the families of those affected, who refuse to come forward for fear of reprisals.
In terms of achievements, it is essential updating of a regulation dating from 1958 and that she was very lax with these behaviors. From now on, hazing is included in the University Coexistence Law as a very serious offense whenever it violates the dignity of the student. A fact that can have serious consequences, such as expulsion from the university. There are also campaigns in many universities for which they are no longer a taboo subject and even a network of healthy universities was created in which vice-chancellors are responsive and have a law that gives them a basis for action. “Slowly, there was also an evolution in the social perception of beginners, videos that transcended, interviews… the media collaborated a lot to make it understood that hazing is not an acceptable tradition», assures the president of the NMN.
Some images revealed last year some students forced to eat raw fish on their knees by their veterans They have helped raise awareness in society, but in most cases these recordings do not surface, although they are sometimes transmitted from one cell phone to another. This month, the association led by González-Dopeso received calls university towns like Granada or Valladolid with students forced to drink alcohol or play a football game with their noses in a floor filled with shaving cream. Because, even if little by little the idea begins to emerge that these “receptions” have nothing traditional, The psychological pressure that newcomers experience is little studied. “There has not been a definitive change in perception as has happened with other types of abuse and it is still emphasized that “Well, as long as it’s a joke or a hazing”», Develops the expert, who knows closely the sophisticated operating methods of many groups of attackers.
The humiliation and humiliation that sometimes occurs – and which can last for months – puts some of those affected at the limit. SO, veterans rely on false empathy to stay afloat and hold on. What they do, they discover from the NMN, is pull the second-year students, who “put their hands on their shoulders when they see them slacking” and even invite them for a drink to gain their confidence and protect their silence and obedience. . “The problem is so serious that we have seen directors feel overwhelmed”explains the psychologist, who advises creating working groups with vice-rectors and dialoguing with professionals.
Another of the most positive developments, besides the change in regulations, is that years ago hazing could be practiced in most residence halls and is now monitored. However, the judicial process continues to fail. The few complaints filed were unsuccessful because in these cases, it is very difficult to have testimonies or direct proof of what happened. Students often close ranks and pointing fingers is almost impossible. This is the case of a Galician family who reported the hazing of their daughter in Madrid. Hazing, such as leaving feces on the door and receiving continuous insults, was admitted into the sentence, but Its authorship could not be attributed to a specific person due to the difficulties encountered in obtaining testimonies.videos or evidence to present in court. “The people affected are therefore scalded,” summarizes González-Dopeso.
Concerning the particular situation of Galicia, with several campuses spread throughout its geography, the spokesperson is optimistic. This year, he admits, no call has yet been received from a student registered in the Community, although in the past there have been complaints of hazing at the University of Santiago. “It has started to roll and is going in the right direction”he said to remind potential victims that their hands are outstretched.
