Study: The Effects of Hazing

StopHazing last year conducted and published a study on the effects of hazing. Hazing is defined as “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.” To find out more, go to Stophazing.org.

Check out this interactive infographic on the most frequently reported hazing behaviors, by category:

The following information is from the Initial Findings of the National Study of Student Hazing: Examining and Transforming Campus Hazing Cultures.

The research is based on the analysis of 11,482 survey responses from undergraduate students enrolled at 53 colleges and universities and more than 300 interviews with students and campus personnel at 18 of those institutions.

• 55 percent of college students involved in clubs, teams, and organizations experience hazing.

• Hazing occurs in, but extends beyond, varsity athletics and Greek-letter organizations and includes behaviors that are abusive, dangerous, and potentially illegal.

• Alcohol consumption, humiliation, isolation, sleep- deprivation, and sex acts are hazing practices common across types of student groups.

• There are public aspects to student hazing including: 25 percent of coaches or organization advisors were aware of the group’s hazing behaviors; 25 percent of the behaviors occurred on-campus in a public space; in 25 percent of hazing experiences, alumni were present; and students talk with peers (48 percent, 41 percent) or family (26 percent) about their hazing experiences.

• In more than half of the hazing incidents, a member of the offending group posts pictures on a public web space.

• More students perceive positive rather than negative outcomes of hazing.

• In 95 percent of the cases where students identified their experience as hazing, they did not report the events to campus officials.

• Students recognize hazing as part of the campus culture; 69 percent of students who belonged to a student activity reported they were aware of hazing activities occurring in student organizations other than their own.

• Students report limited exposure to hazing prevention efforts that extend beyond a “hazing is not tolerated” approach.

• 47 percent of students come to college having experienced hazing.

• Nine out of 10 students who have experienced hazing behavior in college do not consider themselves to have been hazed.

Currently 44 US states have passed anti-hazing laws.