Hazing Awareness and Prevention
How to Spot and Prevent Hazing
Traditionally, hazing is an act that is associated with complex organizations, such as sororities, fraternities, music ensembles, or athletic teams. However, hazing can occur in any environment and under any conditions if an activity gets out of hand.
Definition of Hazing
According to StopHazing.org, hazing is defined as "any activity expected of someone joining a group (or to maintain full status in a group) that humiliates, degrades or risks emotional and/or physical harm, regardless of the person's willingness to participate." This, the website says, has been typically associated with college-aged men who are members of social fraternities.
Hazing is broken down into three types: subtle, harassment, and violent. These categories each have specific identifying characteristics, but are not always easy to classify.
Subtle hazing is any kind of activity or social structure that emphasizes a difference in power between older and younger individuals, or between those who are in power in an organization and those who are not. This includes assigning demerits or using a demerit system, asking members to always have something in their possession, or assigning members tasks that not everyone is required to do.
Harassment hazing is defined by StopHazing.org as "behaviors that cause emotional anguish or physical discomfort in order to feel like part of the group. Harassment hazing confuses, frustrates, and causes undue stress for new members/rookies." This includes verbal abuse, threatening or implying threats against members, and not allowing members to keep a normal or healthy schedule.
Sometimes harassment hazing can become violent hazing. This type of hazing is anything that can cause physical, emotional, or psychological harm and includes beatings, public nudity, or the forced consumption of alcohol or inappropriate substances.
Hazing Prevention
Hazing can be prevented by paying attention to a group's activities and attitudes toward new members. First, if an anti-hazing policy is not published or does not exist, administrators, advisors, or executives of a group or institution should work together to define what hazing is, how it is against the group's values, and consequences for those who haze or allow hazing to continue. StopHazing.org recommends that the statement be published regardless of when it was written so that all individuals know that hazing will not be tolerated.
Anti-hazing education is also a helpful way to prevent hazing. By scheduling a group awareness project, sponsoring an awareness week, or simply teaching members how to recognize hazing can prevent any activities from happening in the future. Not only does this help to prevent the problem, but it also stresses that hazing does not just affect one person, but it affects the unity of the entire group.
Hazing is a problem that often harms individuals in a number of ways. However, with some thought and a concern for fellow members of a group, the concern for hazing can be eliminated, and organizations can build stronger relationships among members without it.
Hazing Does Not Encourage Healthy Environments
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