Content warning: This article contains references to sexual assault and violence, as well as hazing. 

You have probably heard about the ‘Cornell Seven’ by now: a group of young men who allegedly raped a young woman for seven hours in 2024. All of these accused perpetrators were members of the Chi Phi fraternity on Cornell’s campus, and only two of the students were expelled. 

While particularly horrific, fraternity members engaging in sexual violence is nothing new. In fact, to some, it can seem almost ubiquitous with the word fraternity. Men who join fraternities are three times more likely to commit acts of sexual violence, according to a 2007 study conducted by College of William and Mary researcher John Foubert. Sometimes, even joining a fraternity requires a demeaning sexual act. 

There is no doubt that USC has a storied history of honoring fraternity culture: Even now, Sidechat is constantly churning out rankings of fraternities and the parties they throw. Although there haven’t been any recently reported incidents, USC has had multiple past cases of rape at its fraternities.

In 2021, someone was allegedly drugged and raped at Sigma Nu. Sigma Nu, along with five other fraternities, disaffiliated from USC after the University dared to monitor their behavior after sexual assault allegations. 

What might have once been an outlet for young men to build community has become a system that often enables sexual violence and other unspeakable horrors. Thus, disaffiliation is not enough; they must be abolished. 

Disaffiliation is not only not enough, but it’s actually worse than letting fraternities remain under the purview of USC. For one, the University now has no responsibility to monitor fraternal activities. After the sexual assault incidents of 2021, USC instituted various new measures with the intent to curb sexual assault and drug abuse in the fraternities, including sexual violence prevention workshops and security guards at gatherings.

Disaffiliation means that frats are no longer beholden to those measures as an institution. Under Title IX, the University would only be responsible for sexual assault incidents occurring during school-sanctioned events. Rogue fraternities would not apply.  

Outside of just sexual violence, fraternities have also been linked to increased alcohol abuse and incidents of racism and hate crimes, as well as being hotbeds for homophobia. No other social group that engages in these activities with college students is upheld as a paragon of brotherhood. 

The main reason fraternities still exist is that they provide financial and networking opportunities: Fraternity members have an increased average alumni income and have a greater propensity to donate to the school, as well as provide jobs to other fraternity members. Thus, frats can not only act as incubators of power differentials, but also a runway to future power. The power differential that is required for fraternities to exist is the same one that leads to the sexual assault of women.

This quest for power is embedded within fraternity activities. Hazing, of any sort, requires one group dominating another. Fraternity leaders subject pledges to embarrassment, deflating their egos to build dependency on the other brothers. Responsibility belongs to those who perpetuate this abuse and to the institutions that allow it to continue — not to the students subjected to it. 

Frat leaders at the University of Wisconsin-Madison chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi were arrested in September for hazing after dozens of chapter members were found chained in a basement covered in condiments. The same month, a University of Arizona fraternity was suspended after allegedly making pledges swallow live goldfish.

The fact that these hazing experiences are embarrassing means that those who experience them often feel as if they can never be shared with others, thus emboldening a culture of secrecy. This secrecy for the sake of bonding permeates fraternity culture as a whole, meaning these more extreme actions are less likely to be reported. Perpetrators rarely accept responsibility, and victims are scared to come forward because of the manufactured unity among frat brothers. 

Sororities also occupy a complicated position within the system. As they often rely on fraternities for aspects of their functions, including for social utility, they can face pressure to remain silent about harmful behavior. Women in sororities are 74% more likely to be raped than nonmembers, according to the Journal of Vincentian Social Action at St. John’s University, making it especially important that universities protect people in sororities and create safe avenues for them to speak out. 

It should go without saying that the potential prevention of sexual assault outweighs any financial penalties that may be incurred from the eradication of fraternities, along with any philanthropic work they may pursue. 

Fraternities can cause tremendous issues for university students. Given their harm, it is incredibly strange that they remain so ingrained in the life of USC students. They need to be abolished so we can finally begin to rectify and confront the pain of the generations of survivors who have been subjected to others’ abuses of power. 

If you are in need of support, here are some resources you can contact:

USC Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention and Services: Located at Engemann Student Health Center Suite 356. Individuals can call 213-740-9355 and request to speak with an advocate or counselor. Services are confidential.

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN): A free, confidential hotline that is active 24/7. Individuals can call 800-656-4673.