Understanding Hazing
Hazing is any activity that humiliates, degrades, or endangers the mental or physical health of someone because that person is joining or continuing membership in a group, team, or organization. Hazing is prohibited regardless of the person's willingness to participate in the activity.
Endangering mental health is defined as sleep deprivation, extended isolation, public degradation, intimidation, creation of artificial and excessive stress, public nudity, and other comparable behaviors that are reasonably likely to or do cause a significant degree of distress, humiliation, anguish, or interference with academic, professional, or personal pursuits
Research on hazing suggests the behavior exists on a spectrum ranging from intimidation to harassment to violent hazing. Prohibited forms of hazing include but are not limited to:
1. Intimidation Hazing: Behaviors that emphasize a power imbalance between new members and other members of the group or community. This is termed “intimidation hazing” because these types of hazing are often taken for granted or accepted as “harmless” or meaningless. Intimidation hazing typically involves activities or attitudes that breach reasonable standards of mutual respect and place new members on the receiving end of ridicule, embarrassment, and/or humiliation tactics. Members often feel the need to endure intimidation hazing to feel like part of the group or community.
Examples of intimidation hazing include but are not limited to:
- Deception
- Silence periods
- Deprivation of privileges
- Social isolation
- Name calling
- Assignment of duties not assigned to other members
2. Harassment Hazing: Behaviors that cause emotional anguish or physical discomfort in order to feel like part of the group. Harassment hazing often confuses, frustrates, and causes undue stress.
Examples of harassment hazing include but are not limited to:
- Verbal abuse
- Threats or implied threats
- Sexual simulations
- Requiring situationally inappropriate attire
- Sleep deprivation
3. Violent Hazing: Behaviors that do or could cause physical or psychological harm.
Examples of violent hazing include but are not limited to:
- Placing students in the shower against their will
- Forced or coerced alcohol or other drug consumption
- Forced or coerced sexual acts
- Beating
- Paddling, or other forms of assault
- Forced or coerced ingestion of vile substances
- Bondage
- Kidnapping
- Expected participation in illegal activity
