A Massachusetts high school hockey player has spoken out, revealing how he and other members of his team were subjected to racist, violent, sexual and homophobic hazing rituals.
The Danvers High School hockey player claimed the upperclassmen would abuse the younger team members in the locker room by beating or fondling them.
The teen claims on Tuesdays the players were forced to participate in a ritual called 'Gay Tuesday', where the alleged abusers would make team members strip and then turn off the locker room lights and touch their teammates' genitals in an effort to mock gay people.
'I was very, very scared, very uncomfortable, and I wanted to leave very, very, very, very quickly,' the player told ABC 5 on the basis of anonymity.
He also claimed that players who refused to say the n-word were physically beaten with a sex toy.
'I would refuse to say it and get held down by multiple of my friends and beaten. And then I'd walk around with shame, being heckled for the rest of the night, skating around with the outline of a penis on my face,' he said.
Despite the allegations of abuse, Danvers police were unable to pursue charges because the teen has refused to file a criminal complaint.
A Danvers High School student-athlete has spoken out about how he and other members of his hockey team were subjected to racist, violent, sexual and homophobic hazing rituals
The teen claims on Tuesdays the players were forced to participate in a ritual called 'Gay Tuesday' were the alleged abusers would make team members strip and then turn off the locker room lights and touch their teammates' genitals in an effort to mock gay people
'The Danvers Police Department was unable to seek charges because the alleged victim did not wish to do so,' Carrie Kimball, spokesperson for District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, wrote in a statement issued to The Eagle-Tribune.
'We concurred with the Danvers Police Department's assessment that a prosecution was not possible without the participation of the alleged victim.'
Blodgett's office has not investigated the allegations and does not have plans to do so at this time.
However, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey's office said Friday that officials are seeking additional information about the allegations.
'Racism, homophobia, and bigotry of any kind have no place in our locker rooms, rinks and playing fields. If you think sports are about bullying and hazing, you're losing, and our kids are paying the price,' Healey wrote on Facebook last week.
Despite the allegations of abuse, Danvers police were unable to pursue charges because the teen refused to file a criminal complaint. However, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey says her office is seeking additional information about the allegations
Head hockey coach and former school resource officer Steve Baldassare (pictured in 2015) was placed on leave in January 2021 and reinstated in February before ultimately resigning in July. He and his coaching staff have denied
