What is hazing?
Hazing is any action taken or any situation created intentionally that causes embarrassment, harassment or ridicule and risks emotional and/or physical harm to members of a group or team, whether new or not, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate.
The majority of student organizations and teams provide amazing, positive experiences for their members. However, some organizations engage in negative behaviors known as hazing – acts of humiliation or demeaning tasks meant to ‘prove’ an individual’s commitment and worthiness to joining a group.
Hazing occurs in sports teams, clubs, Greek life, cheerleading, honor societies and more.
Hazing is often about power and control. Hazing does not build unity.
These are some examples of what might be considered hazing:
- Activities meant to ‘earn’ a place within an organization or team that seem inconsistent with someone’s character or values
- Activities that are embarrassing or mentally/physically abusive
- Forces or coerced abuse of alcohol
- Personal servitude or meaningless tasks
Is this hazing?
If you’re not sure whether something that happened to you or to someone else is hazing, ask yourself these questions:
- Am I being asked to do menial, secret or illegal tasks in order to join this group/team?
- Would I feel comfortable participating in this activity if my parents were watching?
- Would we get in trouble if a school administrator walked by and saw us?
- Is this causing emotional or physical distress to myself or others?
If Hazing is Happening, What Can I do?
What can I do?
- Speak up and report it immediately – you may save a life.
- Take responsibility, when you see it occurring or when it happens to you.
- Make others aware of what hazing is and their responsibility for preventing it – hazing prevention is everyone’s responsibility
Source:
If you or someone are in immediate danger
Call 911 or Campus Security
- New York City
Phone: (212) 346-1800 - Pleasantville
Phone: (914) 773-3400 - Elisabeth Haub School of Law
Phone: (914) 422-4111
If you want to report a hazing incident or a suspected incident that is not immediately putting someone in danger, be sure to note the time and location of what you witnessed and:
(24 hours a day)
Report what you witness. You will help prevent further harm and you may save a life.
Contact
- Athletics
Phone: (914) 773- 3411 - Counseling Center
Pleasantville Phone: (914) 773-3710
New York City Phone: (212) 346-1526
Information shared with the Counseling Center is confidential. - Dean for Students
Pleasantville Phone: (914) 773-3860
New York City Phone: (212) 346-1306 - Fraternity and Sorority Life
Pleasantville Phone: (914) 773-3767
New York City Phone: (212) 346-1748 - Housing
Pleasantville Phone: (914) 597-8777 or
New York City Phone: (212) 346-1295 - 91ÊÓƵ Security
New York City Phone: (212) 346-1800
Pleasantville Phone: (914) 773-3400
Elisabeth Haub School of Law Phone: (914) 422-4111