Hazing is 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.
There are three components that define hazing:
While commonly associated with college fraternities, hazing happens in many different places. Incidents of hazing occur in many types of clubs, organizations, and teams and in diverse settings, including middle and high schools, colleges and universities, the military, and workplaces.
USI's definition of hazing and how to report it on our campus can be located in the University Handbook.
There is a wide range of behaviors that fit the definition of hazing. For this reason, it can often go unrecognized and unreported.
Source: The Hazing Prevention Network & StopHazing.org.
Hazing is 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.
There are three components that define hazing:
While commonly associated with college fraternities, hazing happens in many different places. Incidents of hazing occur in many types of clubs, organizations, and teams and in diverse settings, including middle and high schools, colleges and universities, the military, and workplaces.
USI's definition of hazing and how to report it on our campus can be located in the University Handbook.
There is a wide range of behaviors that fit the definition of hazing. For this reason, it can often go unrecognized and unreported.
Source: The Hazing Prevention Network & StopHazing.org.
The intimidating, harassing, and sometimes even violent nature of hazing can threaten the health and safety of its victims. It can even be deadly.
Hazing, however, often impacts more than the group or individual involved. In higher education, hazing is at odds with educational goals as it can harm students and contribute to abusive campus climates, negative publicity, and student attrition. The same can be said for other settings where hazing exists — schools, the military, and workplaces. Hazing creates an environment where community members feel unsafe and where a healthy and productive sense of belonging, inclusion, and well-being are all compromised.
Death is the consequence that is most often reported by the media. Although death is the worst possible outcome, hazing can lead to less severe, but still life-altering consequences.
One study has shown that 71% of those who are hazed suffer from negative consequences including:
In addition to being morally wrong, taking part or leading hazing creates problems. These include:
Source: Hazing Prevention Network
The intimidating, harassing, and sometimes even violent nature of hazing can threaten the health and safety of its victims. It can even be deadly.
Hazing, however, often impacts more than the group or individual involved. In higher education, hazing is at odds with educational goals as it can harm students and contribute to abusive campus climates, negative publicity, and student attrition. The same can be said for other settings where hazing exists — schools, the military, and workplaces. Hazing creates an environment where community members feel unsafe and where a healthy and productive sense of belonging, inclusion, and well-being are all compromised.
Death is the consequence that is most often reported by the media. Although death is the worst possible outcome, hazing can lead to less severe, but still life-altering consequences.
One study has shown that 71% of those who are hazed suffer from negative consequences including:
In addition to being morally wrong, taking part or leading hazing creates problems. These include:
Source: Hazing Prevention Network
If not recognized, reported, and properly addressed, hazing can become a systemic, self-perpetuating problem. The environments where hazing most often occurs — student clubs, organizations, and teams — are living-learning laboratories for leadership development. If hazing is happening in these groups, our leaders-in-training may be learning that humiliating, harassing, or violent behavior is an accepted or expected way to induct new members and build cohesion.
The following recommendations from StopHazing.org outline ways your group can foster group cohesion without resorting to hazing.
Group goals and activities to promote belonging, well-being, and inclusion
This resource describes common goals of groups and examples of group activities that promote belonging and well-being in safe and inclusive environments. This resource can be used by both campus professionals and student leaders to educate students about groups, common goals of groups, and discount the notion that hazing-based activities, traditions, rituals, and behaviors help groups achieve their goals. We also promote a robust, yet not nearly exhaustive, list of activities help groups achieve their goals. These healthy group activities, free from hazing, can be considered alternatives or alternative activities.
StopHazing proposes the following list of group goals and activities to develop strong and healthy groups:
