If any of the pledges moved at all sorority members would shove their heads into the concrete bricks until they had lumps or bruises. On another occasion, Joanne was told to clean the kitchen until it was spotless, then she was told to drink the black cleaning water. A year later Joanne still gets harassed by former sorority sisters.
Joanne’s experience has one example of hazing, which has triggered increasing violence among women that can lead to depression and self esteem problems. Verbal abuse like what Joanne received has deep and lasting mental scars on the victims. According to “Verbal Abuse Can Leave Scars” by Lollie Barr, It seems to be that verbal and emotional abuse does the most damage. Others words have a tremendous impact on how we see and feel about ourselves, which connects to self esteem. While the positive words uplift and inspire us negatives words cut down to the core and echo over and over again. "It is the put-downs, name calling, insults, belittling and critical statements that have the most serious and long-lasting effect on self-esteem as these messages keep repeating in the victim's mind, years after the bruises have healed," says Associate Professor Dale Bagshaw, from the University of South Australia's School of Social Work and Social Policy. The victim's self image and self