A Culture of Violence in Fraternities
Written by: Dominic
CW: Discussion of sexual violence
Introduction
In 2024, a woman going by Jane Doe claimed that she was viciously assaulted by a group of 7 men while attending a party hosted by a fraternity at Cornell University. Since then, Jane Doe has filed a civil lawsuit against the men for drugging and raping her, and has identified that Cornell failed to protect her or adequately punish the perpetrators. These news have ignited conversations regarding the prevalence of assault in Greek Life on university and college campuses. The outrage not only stems from the assault, but also from the lack of appropriate action, consequences for the perpetrators, and support for the survivor by the university administration. Although there has been discussion on the prevalence of sexual violence among fraternities, it is important to address the reason why this would happen, what can be done to foster positive change, and to encourage prevention and response to assault that is survivor centric.
To write this article, we interviewed two former fraternity presidents, in addition to conducting our own research into recent events and discussion on the topic.
A Brief Insight into Greek Life
In an interview with a former fraternity president, it was stated that joining a fraternity involved a process called pledging, which is a multi-day process that involves various activities, some of which can be humiliating and potentially harmful for the new members. Although he could not reveal the specific activities involved, he did mention that the activities can vary widely among different fraternities, with some offering more tame activities.
The Problem
Since some fraternities conduct more harmful and abusive recruitment activities, young, impressionable men are more likely to normalize this behaviour and attribute it to being necessary for comradery and brotherhood. According to another former fraternity president, through the pledging process, new members are more likely to bury their own morality in order to fit in with the rest of the group. As such, when instances of abuse do occur, they are less likely to speak up against it and hold each other accountable. This also creates a cycle of abuse, as members can inflict the same level of harm that was inflicted on them in the pledging process to new members.
Members are also more likely to recruit men who share their own views, views that are often based on what they were taught and conditioned to believe was acceptable behaviour within the fraternity culture. As a result, the newly recruited members are also more likely to elect leaders who represent a similar value-system, or rather lack there of, as their own, which results in men that perpetuate a culture of violence holding positions of power within the fraternity system. This can easily result in a dangerous environment and perpetual cycle that fosters a culture of abuse and violence.
The lack of accountability can extend past the current members, as alumni can also hold this idea of normalized abuse and violence. Sometimes, Greek Life alumni become part of the University’s administration or investigative bodies; additionally, Greek Life provides a major source of funding. As such, when an issue involving their fraternity arises, the administration is less likely to investigate and administer punitive action. Despite ample reason and duty to support survivors and hold perpetrators accountable, many university administrations intentionally choose to neglect their duty to student well-being and safety, with the risk of loosing access to future funding being one of many part of this systematic crisis. In consequence, the normalization of violence further perpetuates and abuse of those both within and beyond the Greek system continues to operate with impunity.
A Need for Positive Leadership
According to a former fraternity president, the best way to end this cycle of violence and abuse is through positive leadership. A leader who can foster a positive environment where men are free to openly talk about their feelings and issues can help reduce a culture of harm. This positive environment would also actively encourage young men to openly express their morality and values, and to call out dangerous behaviour and intervene in harmful situations when they occur. Positive leadership can also look like making firm decisions for the improvement of the fraternity, such as removing a member for committing an act of violence or having administrative routes in place for when members need to report behaviour or seek confidential support.
Unfortunately, the biggest barrier to achieving a safe environment are the values of the members themselves. The process to becoming a leader is very self-selective, as members will vote-in candidates that best reflect their own views and attitudes. The best way around this is for older men, fraternity leadership, and past members to facilitate conversations on consent, preventing assault, and how to have discussions with each other that encourage checking in with themselves and addressing harmful behaviour. Additionally, educational reform is necessary within university systems, where a priority would be placed on teaching young men about what consent looks like and does not look like, maintaining and respecting boundaries, and available resources for help.
While the prevalence of a culture of safety varies within fraternities, with some supporting positive rolemodelling for younger men and respect for those within and outside the community, the issue of a culture of violence still persists at large and both university administrations and greek life organizations must be held accountable to making a drastic, meaningful, and sustainable shift towards fostering a culture of safety, consent, and respect.
Resources:
If you or someone you know has experienced violence, a free database of resources are available on BOLT Safety Society’s Digital Platform.