The first university hazing in the country, in 1831, ended in death at the Faculty of Law of Olinda. Since then, most institutions formally repudiate vexatious and violent practices. But the ritual continues and, eventually, cases like this still happen.
10. Getting Heavy
College: Paulista State University (Unesp)
Course: Engineering
Year: 1993
The freshmen reception party in Guaratinguetá, in the Paraíba valley, turned into moments of horror for one of the newly admitted students at the institution. The boy was humiliated in front of everyone by the seniors on the course. During the event, he was attacked by colleagues and forced to tie a 7 kg weight to his genitals. Shortly after the violence, he dropped out of college.
9. Chopped trot
Faculty: Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU)
Course: Agronomy
Year: 2006
In the interior of Minas Gerais, a freshman was stripped naked and covered in paint. Not happy, the veterans forced him to lie down on an anthill. The student received more than 250 bites and was hospitalized. UFU expelled two students and suspended 13 others. One of them tried to appeal the decision, explaining that the hazing was carried out off campus, but was unsuccessful.
8. Obey or catch
Faculty: University Center of Araraquara (Uniara)
Course: Miscellaneous
Year: 2000
After refusing to have their hair shaved during the reception, two newcomers were attacked by veterans of the institution, in Araraquara. They were kicked in the head and hospitalized with multiple injuries. One received some stitches in his mouth and the other suffered temporary amnesia. Traumatized, the students stopped attending university for the rest of the year.
7. Hot surprise
Faculty: University Center of the Educational Foundation of Barretos (Unifeb)
Course: Miscellaneous
Year: 2010
Seven students from the university in Barretos, in the interior of São Paulo, were received with jets of creolin – a highly corrosive industrial disinfectant. All suffered first-degree burns. The case was investigated by the police, but ended up being archived by the Public Ministry of São Paulo a month later.
6. Excessive drinking
Faculty Federal University of Rio Grande (Furg)
Course: Computer Engineering
Year: 2010
Hazing has been banned at the institution since 2004, but students often throw welcome parties outside the university. And, in one of the celebrations, which took place 50 meters from the campus, seniors crossed the line and forced two freshmen to drink an excessive amount of alcohol. The boys fell into an alcoholic coma and were hospitalized.
5. Inhuman tasks
College: Anhanguera Educacional University Center
Course: Veterinary Medicine
Year: 2009
In Leme, in the interior of São Paulo, a freshman was whipped, forced to drink pinga and roll in animal excrement, in addition to being tied to a post and being attacked. The boy fell into an alcoholic coma and, abandoned in the street, was hospitalized as an indigent. He left the university, which opened an investigation to investigate the case.
4. During sleep
Faculty: Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP)
Course: Medicine
Year: 1998
A boy had a fire set on his body during Mata-Toma, a traditional reception party for freshmen, in Sorocaba. After passing through the republics to drink, the boy stopped to rest on a sofa. While he was sleeping, other students decided to abuse him, setting his clothes on fire. He had 25% of his body burned. The case led to the expulsion of five students involved
3. Crossed the line
Faculty University of Mogi das Cruzes
Course: Journalism
Year: 1980
In Mogi das Cruzes, a municipality in greater São Paulo, a prank ended in tragedy. A freshman was on the train at the Estudantes station, which connects the city to the capital of São Paulo, when he was approached by a senior from the university. By forbidding them to cut his hair, the boy was beaten until he went into a coma. He couldn’t resist the injuries. The assailant was sentenced to five years in prison.
2. Bath of Death
Faculty: Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP)
Course: Medicine
Year: 1962
During the welcome party, one of the newcomers was picked up by the seniors on the course for a welcome “joke”. Forced to strip completely naked, the boy was made to step into a barrel filled with water mixed with lime. The student had a large part of his body burned and ended up dying. Three years after the incident, in 1965, PUC banned hazing at the institution.
1. Forcing the bar
Faculty: University of São Paulo (USP)
Course: Medicine
Year: 1999
The most emblematic case of violent hazing happened 13 years ago at USP. One day after the reception party, freshman Edison Tsung Chi Hsueh was found dead at the bottom of the institution’s pool. After being painted, Edison went, along with other freshmen, to USP athletics, where he would have been forced to enter the pool without knowing how to swim. Four students were charged with the boy’s death. They were denounced by the Public Ministry, but, in 2006, the case was dismissed by the Superior Court of Justice due to lack of evidence and the students were acquitted.
SOURCES: Folha de S.Paulo, O Estado de S.Paulo, O Globo; Websites: antitrote.org, guiadoscuriosos.com.br, conjur.com.br, guiadoestudante.abril.com.br