Hazing is - Any action taken or situation created intentionally:

• that causes embarrassment, harassment or ridicule
• risks emotional and/or physical harm
• to members of an organization or team
• whether new or not
• regardless of the person's willingness to participate

Still confused? Ask yourself these questions:

• Would I feel comfortable participating in this activity if my parents were watching?
• Would we get in trouble if the Dean of Students walked by?
• Am I being asked to keep these activities a secret?
  Am I doing anything illegal?
• Does participation violate my values or those of my organization?
• Is it causing emotional distress or stress of any kind to myself or others?
   
  Every College/University, National Governing Body, Athletic Department, Fraternity/Sorority has an Anti-Hazing Policy. If you don't know what yours is or how to report hazing, ask!
   
  44 states have laws against hazing.
  Find our if yours is one of them.
  Hazing Statutes
   

  The difference between hazing and bullying is subtle. The same power dynamics are invovled. The same intimidation tactics are used. The same second-class citizenship issues arise. The only real difference between bullying and hazing is that bullying can happen to anyone, anytime; and hazing is done to a person or group of people in order to gain entrance into a club, organization, team or formal group.

   

  An excellent article about the complex nature of hazing published by Diverse Issues in Higher Education (2009).

1.5 million high school students are hazed each year; 47% of students came to college already having experienced hazing.

55% of college students involved in clubs, teams and organizations experience hazing.

Alcohol consumption, humiliation, isolation, sleep-deprivation, and sexual acts are hazing practices common across all types of student groups.

40% of athletes who reported being involved in hazing behaviors report that a coach or advisor was aware of the activity; 22% report that the coach was involved.

2 in 5 students say they are aware of hazing taking place on their campus. More than 1 in 5 report that they witnessed hazing personally.

In 95% of cases where students identified their experience as hazing, they did not report the events to campus officials.

Nine out of ten students who have experienced hazing behavior in college do not consider themselves to have been hazed.

36% of students say they would not report hazing primarily because "there's no one to tell," and 27% feel that adults won't handle it right. #

As of November 1, 2007, the number of recorded hazing/pledging/rushing-related deaths in fraternities and sororities stands at 89 - 83 males and 6 females. *

82% of deaths from hazing involve alcohol. *

Data taken from the the national study Hazing in View: Students at Risk conducted by Elizabeth Allan, Ph.D. and Mary Madden, Ph.D. from the University of Maine.  The full report of both the pilot and complete national study are available at: HazingStudy.Org

#Information from Alfred University HS hazing study conducted by Dr. Norm Pollard published in 2000. http://www.alfred.edu/hs_hazing/

*Information compiled by Hank Nuwer. http://hazing.hanknuwer.com/