About Hazing

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So, What is Hazing?

Definition of Hazing: “any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them regardless of a person’s willingness to participate."

It includes three key components:

1. It occurs in a group context.
2. Humiliating, degrading or endangering behavior.
3. It can happen regardless of an individual’s willingness to participate, regardless of consent.

Hazing can take many forms

• Humiliation, roast nights, or wearing embarrassing clothing.
• Being taken to & left at an unknown location.
• Sleep deprivation and being woken up in the night.
• Greeting others in a specific manner.
• Expecting items to always be in one's possession.
• Threats, implied threats, verbal abuse and assigning demerits.
• Water intoxication or forced ingestion of substances.
• Making prank calls or harassing others.

Where can it happen?

Hazing can happen at colleges, universities and high schools. Some common places are:

• Varsity Athletic Team
• Social Fraternity or Sorority
• Club Sports
• Performing Arts Organization
• Academic Club
• Honor Society
• Service Fraternity or Sorority
• Intramural Team
• Recreation Club

Ways to build healthy groups and teams

• Participate in community service projects together.
• Identify common times for new and returning members to hang out (e.g., group meals, studying, working out).
• Visit a challenge course led by professionals to work on communication and leadership skills.
• Utilize campus resources to promote scholarship.
• Strengthen problem solving skills through team building activities.
• Work on personal development through activities like vision boards, goal setting, etc.

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