What is Hazing?
UC San Diego defines hazing in PACAOS 102.12 as participation in hazing or any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, activity, or method committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons) against another person or persons, including current, former, or prospective students, regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate, that is committed in the course of a preinitiation, an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, an official or unofficial student organization or other student group that
i. causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the institution of higher education or the organization (such as the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team), of physical or psychological injury, including personal degradation or disgrace, and/or
ii. the person knew or should have known was likely to cause serious bodily injury.
Common Questions Around Hazing
Who commits hazing on California campuses?
Hazing is commonly portrayed in movies as an activity of Greek fraternities and sororities. Hazing also occurs in intercollegiate athletics, sports clubs, religious clubs, marching bands, professional clubs, multicultural organizations, and other types of groups.
A common defense is that rogue members committed the hazing activity, unsanctioned by the organization. However, organizations have lost their campus status for hazing activities performed by members outside the leadership circle. Organization leaders are ultimately responsible for communicating ground rules for new member activities and for monitoring.
What does hazing persist on college campuses?
Organizations are sometimes unaware that their initiation activities are actually hazing. Initiates may be hesitant to question such activities, which are often handed down by older members. The group may offset concerns about possible harm with the belief that they are fostering loyalty and bonding. No matter what group members believe, no one should ever be subjected to hazing.
How can an organization determine if its activites count as hazing?
To determine if activities are possibly harmful, organizations should consider how acceptable they would be from the perspective of the broader community. The "publicity test" asks the following questions:
- Would you let the campus newspaper or a local TV station cover your initiation activities?
- Would you be comfortable describing your activities to your parents, a professor, psychologist, or university chancellor?
If the answer to these questions is "No," your activities are most likely hazing. When in doubt, check with your organization's advisor or coach.
What if I agreed to participate?
Organizations charged with hazing may argue that an activity wasn't hazing because new members agreed to participate (perhaps due to peer pressure and a desire to fit in). But even if new members agreed to participate, the activity is still defined as hazing.
The Spectrum of Hazing™ is a research-based resource developed by StopHazing researchers, Dr. Elizabeth Allan & Dr. Dave Kerschner. This current visual, developed from the research, outlines the three categories of hazing behavior (intimidation, harassment, and violence) and the inverse relationship between recognition and frequency of the behaviors. (Allan, E. J. & Kerschner, D. (2020). The Spectrum of Hazing™, StopHazing Consulting. https://stophazing.org/resources/spectrum)
Intimidation Hazing
Behaviors that emphasize a power imbalance between new members / rookies and other members of the group or team are 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 / rookies on the receiving end of ridicule, embarrassment, and/or humiliation tactics. New members / rookies often feel the need to endure intimidation hazing to feel like part of the group or team. (Some types of intimidation hazing may also be considered harassment hazing).
Some examples include but are not limited to:
- Silence periods with implied threats for violation
- Deprivation of privileges granted to other members including name calling
- Tasks of personal servitude
- Requiring new members / rookies to perform duties not assigned to other members
- Socially isolating new members / rookies
- Line-ups and drills / tests on meaningless information/ Memorization of information not explicitly required by the national new member process
- Requiring new members / rookies to refer to other members with titles (e.g. “Mr.,” “Miss”) while they are identified with demeaning terms
- Expecting certain items to always be in one's possession (including requiring the carrying of objects, such as bricks, buckets, or large objects)
Harrassment Hazing
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. (Some types of harassment hazing can also be considered violent hazing.)
Some examples include but are not limited to:
- Verbal abuse/Threats or implied threats
- Wearing publicly, apparel which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste, or requiring shaved hair/Asking new members to wear embarrassing or humiliating attire
- Stunt or skit nights with degrading, crude, or humiliating acts/Participating in personally degrading or humiliating games or activities
- Expecting new members / rookies to perform personal service to other members such as errands, cooking, cleaning etc
- Creation of extensive fatigue or forced or coerced participation in calisthenics, push-ups, sit-ups, running, and other fatiguing activities
- Required (explicit or implicit) participation in quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips, or any such activities
- Sleep deprivation/Late work sessions or activities that interfere with scholastic activities, including exhausting and time consuming projects that are too disruptive to normal study patterns
- Intentionally creating clean-up work
- Expecting new members / rookies to be deprived of maintaining a normal schedule of bodily cleanliness
- Be expected to harass others
- Any activity considered morally offensive by an individual participating
- Any activity without constructive aspect or reasonable purpose, including but not limited to "line-ups," "rat courts," mock trials, interrogations, yelling of obscenities, or votes of continuance not consistent with the national constitution of, or sanctioned by the national fraternity or sorority
Violent Hazing
Behaviors that have the potential to cause physical and/or emotional, or psychological harm.
Some examples include but are not limited to:
- Forced or coerced alcohol or other drug consumption
- Forced, required, or coerced consumption of any food, liquid, vile substances or concoctions
- Physical abuse including paddling, beating, pushing, hitting, physical threats, exposure to the elements, or other physical harm, or forms of assault
- Branding, burning, and tattooing
- Water intoxication
- Expecting abuse or mistreatment of animals
- Public nudity/sexual simulations/bondage
- Confining participants to rooms or areas that are uncomfortable due to temperature, noise, size, or air quality for the purpose of harassment
- Any dangerous activity including, but not limited to long swims, jumps from high places, binding, and blindfolding
- Member kidnaps, ditches, abductions
- Exposure to cold weather or extreme heat without appropriate protection
- Expecting illegal activity
- Any other activity which is not consistent with the fraternal law, ritual, or policy and/ or University Policies