Sexually Violent Hazing and Group Sexual Assault in Junior Hockey in Canada ^*

Abstract

This chapter examines sexually violent hazing as a form of group sexual assault, which involves multiple perpetrators in a single sexually violent act, in the context of junior men's hockey in Canada. Research outside of the context of sport suggests that group sexual assaults are relatively rare. However, available evidence suggests that the prevalence of group sexual assaults perpetrated by male junior hockey players is significantly disproportionate to perpetration rates by men who do not participate in competitive sports. Drawing on examples from junior men's hockey in Canada, three main forms of group sexual assault are identified and explored in which multiple male junior hockey players have been reported for sexually assaulting: (1) new male team members through sexually violent hazing rituals, (2) female victims during team rookie nights or initiation parties and (3) a single female victim away from team activities. The data analysed include media files and written legal decisions involving group sexual assault allegations against 65 Canadian junior men's hockey players. This chapter reveals that each form is interconnected within the misogynistic culture of junior men's hockey in Canada, where group sexual assaults have long been tolerated, silenced and ignored by teams, leagues and legal officials.

Citation

Fogel, C. and Quinlan, A. (2024), "Sexually Violent Hazing and Group Sexual Assault in Junior Hockey in Canada ^* ", johnson, j. and Chin, J.W. (Ed.) Cultures of Sport Hazing and Anti-Hazing Initiatives for the 21st Century (Research in the Sociology of Sport, Vol. 23), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 105-118. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1476-285420240000023007