Opinion | As long as freshmen learn that humiliating corp traditions ‘belong’, nothing changes

‘Humiliations of the Utrecht corps are moving to houses’, head NRC on April 15. The article shows dire abuses within USC houses: First-year students are used as house staff and punished with humiliations such as scrubbing the floor with a toothbrush. Usc people are also encouraged to sex, via points systems and bangaling. During annual Texel weeks, in which members work as a beach guard, thirty first and second-year-olds terrorize the island with hazing rituals, drunkenness and again a culture in which sex does not seem like a choice, but an assignment.

The image that the article paints is in line with findings from our own research into five traditional student associations, four of which are corpora. We spoke to male members about masculinity, sexuality, and about the attempts that associations take to prevent excesses. We heard similar stories that testify to a culture in which excesses are not incidents, but a structural part of the system.

Yes, there is variation – some disputes and houses are milder, others more extreme. And consciousness among members is increasing, thanks in part to various interventions and training. Yet many attempts to tackle the sexist corp culture, because Corpora sticks to traditions and therefore stop change.

The hierarchical structures give older -year power over newcomers. The emphasis on seniority creates a culture in which freshmen are not only at the bottom, but also learn that traditions – no matter how humiliating – ‘belong’. Weakening this power relationship is essential if you want to make serious work on change.

Corporal irony

Insiders who NRC For the article, talking about « corporal irony » – sexism, racism and all kinds of excesses would not be seriously intended. In our research we noticed the same: within the group, things can be said and done that are ‘outside’ as unacceptable. So sexist songs are ‘just a joke’. But the combination of alcohol, sexist language and encouraging group pressure to sexual behavior – we know from international research – is a breeding ground for sexual violence.

As long as it is normal that what is said ‘inside’ should not come out, the culture will be maintained. This double social standard makes it difficult to appeal to behavior and to monitor boundaries. The fact that there are no women makes it no less harmful – it normalizes.

Corpora are already doing everything: conversations about boundaries, sexuality, mental health. Within the associations there are campaigns such as « Are you okay? », In which bystanders learn to intervene with cross -border behavior. That is valuable. But it must go further. To achieve real change, it is necessary to break traditions. The power of seniority, confidentiality and the mask of innocence must really be questioned. Inside rooms, members of Corpora must also dare to address each other.

Members say that mixed activities with women lead to nuance, mutual understanding and the realization that respect does not stop at the front door of the Corpshuis. Whether women are waiting for more mixed committees, disputes, year clubs and houses after all reporting, is a justified question – but it can be a means of change.

Bangalists and sex points are symptoms of a deep -rooted power structure. It does not disappear automatically. So stop romantizing what has since become destructive.

Iris from home is independent social scientific researcher, Marianne Cense is a senior researcher at the Rutgers knowledge center, Jenneke van Ditzhuijzen is university teacher of interdisciplinary social science at Utrecht University.

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