HAZINGWhen is Enough, Enough?

Jenny HurwitzJ2001-002

Hazing is any act that:

Causes embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule

Risks emotional and or physical harm

To members of an organization or a team

To new members or not Regardless of the persons

willingness to participate

UCONN’S NO-HAZING POLICY “Hazing, defined as an act which endangers

the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or which destroys or removes public or private property for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a group or organization. The express or implied consent of the victim will not be a defense. Apathy or acquiescence in the presence of hazing are not neutral acts; they are violations of this rule.”

What is REALLY going on?

7 Social Fraternities at UConn

At least 2 Fraternities Still Haze

There could be more…

John Smith’s Story: Intiation Night

John: 7th Semester Senior Name and Affiliation requested to be left anonymous

Initiation Night: hazing tradition where brothers beat pledges with paddles until the paddles are cracked.

John Smith’s Story

“I remember I couldn’t sit for four days after that night,” Smith said.

“We went through some really rough nights during my pledge period, but

that was the worst. We were basically h a z e d for eight hours straight with no break that night.”

Smith’s Fraternity’s Cracked Paddles

Smith on Hazing:

“I just felt like I could do anything in the world because I survived hazing.”

“I think Hazing is V E R Y beneficial.”

Other Fraternities Disagree:

Inter-Fraternal Council President Michael Gotkin is disturbed at Smith’s views as well as his Fraternities a A C T I O N S

“It Disgusts me to think that kids on campus are getting emotionally and physically abused.”

Pattern of Disrespect

“I see a lot of chapters stuck in traditions. Because they were hazed,

they think they have to haze their new members as well.

Just because you were disrespected doesn’t mean you should continue the disrespect

of others and yourself.”

- Inter-Fraternal President, Michael GotkinBrother of the Sigma Chi Fraternity

Why Do Students Still Haze?“students have

trouble diferenciating Fraternity Rituals

fromFraternity Tradition’’

-UConn’s Todd SullivanDirector of Fraternity and Sorority Life

Ritual vs. Tradition

RITUAL Non-hazing Sacred to chapter Nationally

Ex: repeating a creed before every chapter meeting

TRADITION Activity the chapter

has been doing for years but is not an actual part of the organization’s by-laws

Ex: Smith’s Chapter beats pledges on initiation night

PUNISHMENT FOR THE CHAPTER

2008: Smith’s Fraternity was caught hazing

New member “snitched” Director of Fraternity and Sorority

Life, Todd Sullivan, put Fraternity on Social Probation

Social Probation: chapter can not partake in any Greek-affiliated social, scholarship, or philanthropic events

The Scary Truth

“THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST ONE HAZING-RELATED

DEATH ON A US COLLEGE CAMPUS SINCE 1970.”

82% of deaths from hazing involve alcohol

- University of Connecticut Greek Life Office

What Does Hazing Look Like?HAZING VICTIM

CARSON STARKEY, 18 California Polytech University

Blood alcohol level between 0.39 percent and 0.44 percent when he was found dead after a night of hazing

Legal Limit = 0.8 CBS News Story

MEET THE PERPETRATORS:3 YEARS PROBATION AND 45 DAYS IN

COUNTY JAIL

RUSSELL MARTIN TAYLOR HAITHEM MUTHANA IBRAHIM

3 YEARS PROBATION 120 DAYS IN COUNTY JAIL

ZACARY WESTEN ELLISADAM EDWARD

MARSZA

Hidden Harms of Hazing

Pledges can have hidden pasts that make them highly susceptible to hazing

Mix hazing with their “baggage” and risks increase e x p o n e n t i a l l y

Hazing can lead to severe depression and low self-esteem

-Terry Maxwell Executive Director Hazingprevention.org

Hazing is not Limited to Fraternities

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

- Univeristy of Connecticut

When will it End?

STUDENTS THINK THEY’RE INVINCIBLE, AND THEY’RE NOT. THEY HEAR HORROR

STORIES ABOUT HAZING DEATHS BUT THEY EASILY SEPARATE THEMSELVES

AND SAY “THAT COULD NEVER HAPPEN TO ME.”

I DON’T KNOW WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR STUDENTS TO FINALLY REALIZE THAT

HAZING IS A REAL AND D A N G E R O U S CRIME.