Michigan hockey lawsuit alleges decades of sexualized hazing, ‘torture’

Sexual abuse described as "torture" was a regular part of ritualized hazing within the University of Michigan's ice hockey team for more than three decades, according to a new federal lawsuit filed by 16 former members of the program.

The allegations feature many younger players describing themselves as being stripped naked and their genitals forcibly shaved by older players within the program. Others said the handles of razors were also forcibly inserted into their anuses. Multiple people in the lawsuit alleged their pubic hair was singed by a blowtorch. There were also allegations that older players tied a hockey helmet to the genitalia of younger players and filled the helmet with pucks.

None of the plaintiffs are identified in the lawsuit, which was filed on Wednesday, Sept. 9, in Detroit. It also alleges Michigan's coaching staff was aware of the alleged hazing between 1984 and 2001 and required players to endure it in order to be in the program. The lawsuit was first reported by the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.

"Men as young as seventeen years old – new to adult life and in many cases dependent on hockey to access education at Michigan –…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/sports/