Hazing is a well-known occurrence across the U.S. It takes place in colleges, workplaces, sport teams, and in the military. It is seen as a way to add a new member of the group, but it can quickly become illegal and dangerous. In fact, there are many laws in place which outlawhazing because of its potential to become violent or sexual in nature. Even though hazing has received a vast amount of media attention in the past and it is known how horrific these cases can be, they still occur. At La Puente High School, it appears as though another case of hazing got out of hand.
Four older members of the school’s soccer team have been accused of penetrating four of the new team members with a “javelin-like pole.” The attorney of three of the young boys has stated that the soccer coach knew what was going on and actually helped lure the boys in the storage room where the hazing took place. When it was all over, one of the boys saw the coach wink at the players who committed the sexual assault. The attorney stated that the coach is at least guilty of assisting in the sexual assault even if he was not present.
The California Penal Code §289 (2011) addresses this type of crime. It is a type of rape that involves penetrating the sexual organ of another with a foreign object. A foreign object could be a finger or any other item. In order for this crime to be committed, the penetration can be slight, but it has to be against the will of the victim. This could be through threats or violence or while the person is unconscious. In the case at La Puente High School, it was stated that the boys were pushed down from behind and fought as hard as they could to get away. As the soccer team members who committed the rape are underage, it remains to be seen what they will be charged with.
