Hazing

Hazing refers to any activity expected of someone joining, or maintaining status in a group, that humiliates, degrades, or risks emotional or physical harm, regardless of the person's willingness to participate. Hazing is a complex social problem that is shaped by power dynamics operating in a group or organization, and within a particular cultural context. Hazing is a process, based on a tradition that is used by groups to maintain a hierarchy (i.e., a pecking order). Regardless of consent, the activities require individuals to engage in situations which are physically and psychologically stressful. Hazing practices can quickly spiral out of control and cause significant and lasting physical and/or psychological damage.

The word "hazing" often brings to mind examples of physical abuse and/or excessive drinking – egregious acts of hazing that make the national news. Many students are familiar with the legal aspects of hazing and know to avoid activities that involve physical abuse. But what about the use of secrecy, servitude, blindfolding or sensory deprivation? Students may falsely believe these acts only cause temporary discomfort and aren’t harmful. However, hazing actually includes a broad spectrum of actions and behaviors that "may hurt in more ways than a paddle ever could."¹ Every day, hundreds of thousands of people continue to struggle with the “hidden” harms of hazing – the mental and emotional scars that result from being hazed and even from hazing others.

Joining a new organization can cause stress for many people who may wonder, "Will people accept me? Can I be my true self?" When first meeting new people, we rarely reveal our flaws, shortcomings and sources of distress. Even if you have known a person for some time, there are likely things they don’t know about you.

These common concerns about belonging are amplified when someone is also dealing with a mental disorder. Recent data on college student mental health indicates many students are struggling.²

• 50% report a diagnosis of a mental disorder at some point in their lives.
• 38% report moderate or severe depression symptoms.
• 34% report moderate or severe anxiety symptoms.
• 13% report symptoms of an eating disorder.

Mental disorders often develop through a combination of biological/genetic factors (which we have no control over) and physical and social environments (which we can partially control). They can also result from a single traumatic event at any point in our lives (such as hazing). Factors associated with poor mental health include sleep deprivation, hazardous physical conditions, exposure to extreme weather conditions, physical restriction, abuse (physical, sexual, or emotional), toxic relationships and lack of safety.³ These behaviors are all among the most common hazing activities.

Hazers know what will happen, and intentionally withhold information to produce anxiety in the new members. 47% of college students report hazing experiences while in high school and, as a result, may be more likely to experience psychological harm when hazed again.⁴

When planning new member programs, consider the “hidden” psychological harm that activities might create. Are your group’s events designed to bring people together or break them down? Is the goal to help foster integrity and self-worth or show who’s in charge? Hazing can be the trigger that pushes someone past their breaking point regardless of whether they have an underlying mental disorder. You don’t know what might break someone.

Source

Here are some things to think about, and to help you determine if the activity is hazing.

• Is it in line with your organization's mission and values?
• Is alcohol involved?
• Are any state, local laws or University Rules being violated?
• Will active/current members of the group refuse to participate with the new members and do exactly what they're being asked to do?
• Does the activity risk emotional or physical harm?
• Is there a risk of injury or a question of safety?
• Do you have any reservations describing the activity to your parents, professors, University officials, or the media?
• Must members carry specific items with them at all times?
• Must members remain silent for a certain time period, or are they denied contact with friends and family?

If the activities do not align with the organization's missions/values, involve alcohol or other drug consumption, may violate university rules or laws, risk emotional/physical harm, subject an individual to a high risk of injury or embarrassment, or require secrecy, it is likely hazing. 

Sources: StopHazing.org | InsideHazing.com | HazingPrevention.org

This list of prohibited practices is intended to provide examples of hazing that can occur during any initiation or training process and active membership to an organization/team. Because it is impossible to anticipate every situation that could involve hazing, this list should not be considered all-inclusive. Hazing can result in a loss of intake privileges (recruiting, training, new members, etc.) or university recognition (including Social Club charters and athletic eligibility), as well as other disciplinary sanctions. Student rules involving hazing may be found in the LCU Student Handbook Section HazingPolicy.

Psychological Hazing - Defined as any act which is likely to:

(a) compromise the dignity of another; 

(b) cause embarrassment or shame to another;

(c) cause another to be the object of malicious amusement or ridicule;

(d) or cause psychological harm or substantial emotional strain.

Examples include:

• Forced activities for new recruits to 'prove' their worth to join.
• Forced or required consumption of alcohol.
• Requirement to eat spicy foods, or ingest other substances.
• Requirement to endure hardships such as staying awake, menial tasks, physical labor, running while blindfolded, etc.
• Humiliation of new or potential members.
• Isolation of new or potential members.
• Beatings, paddling, or other physical acts against new or potential members.
• Requirements for new or potential members to do things established members are not required to do.
• Illegal activities such as a requirement to steal local items as part of a scavenger hunt.

Source: hazingprevention.org

If you want to help stop hazing, find out about the steps to take and the resources that are available. If you become aware of hazing, you can make an anonymous report to University officials. And if you are hazed, one of the most important things you can do is to resist participating in the "tradition" of hazing the next generation of members. As a member of the organization, you will have a chance to challenge hazing and help bring about a change in the culture of the group and campus.

Many individuals want hazing to stop. Some are friends or relatives of people being hazed, some are students who are being hazed themselves, and others are members of organizations that haze. They may even be hazers themselves, albeit reluctant ones. In order to play a role in the prevention of hazing, there are six steps that individuals must go through (adapted from Berkowitz, A., 1994) to move from being bystanders to active change agents:

1. Recognize the existence of hazing. Individuals may become aware that hazing is occurring through observations or reports from others. One barrier to recognizing hazing is a lack of understanding of the indications of hazing. For example, a student who is being hazed may exhibit excessive fatigue or appear disheveled. Or the sign may be more explicit, such as wearing odd clothing. Another barrier to recognition is avoidance of questions about high-risk situations. If you know that someone is going through something called “hell week,” you may need to ask him or her questions to find out what that involves.
2. Interpret the practices as a problem. Even when people are aware that someone is being hazed, they may not view the activities as being problematic. They may consider the practices to be silly or stupid, but not recognize them as being harmful or illegal. They may or may not consider what is occurring to be hazing, but even if they do they must see it as a problem or else they will not take action to challenge it.
3. Believe that they have a responsibility to do something. Even if individuals recognize that hazing is occurring and they interpret the behavior as a problem, they will not do anything about it if they do not believe that they have a responsibility to do so. But in a community, the responsibility to challenge harm to others is a shared one. It is therefore important for individuals to recognize the potential role they have in stopping hazing.
4. Know what to do. Some individuals are aware of hazing and feel a responsibility to do something about it, but they do not know what should be done. Whether there is a need to encourage someone to leave a group, make an anonymous report, or challenge a group to change its practices, it is important for bystanders to have some understanding of what should be done in order to make a difference.
5. Acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to act. Someone who is motivated and knows what must be done may still need to acquire specific knowledge (e.g., how to make a report, what alternatives to hazing exist) and the skills (e.g., a rehearsed plan of what to say) to execute what he or she knows will be required for change.
6. Overcome fear of potential negative consequences. If a person possesses the knowledge and skills to take action, he or she may still not take action because of fears (e.g., anger from the person they are trying to help or retaliation from the group being challenged).

Take action. If steps 1-6 are met, a person will be prepared to take action to help stop hazing. Some people pass through steps 1-6 in an instant, others may struggle over time and not reach the point of action.

In accordance with Texas Education Code Section 51.936 and as the entity charged with the collection and distribution described therein, the Office of Community Standards is formally publishing a summary of the provisions of Subchapter F, Chapter 27, and a list of organizations that have been disciplined for hazing or convicted for hazing on or off campus of the institution during the preceding three years. Data not protected under the Family Education Rights to Privacy Act regarding hazing may be obtained through the Division of Student Life, (806) 720-7501. 

Alleged incidents of hazing should be reported to one of the following offices:

• The Division of Student Life | (806) 720-7501
• LCU Department of Public Safety | (806) 928-6803

What You Should Know

• Hazing is a violation of Lubbock Christian University Student Rules, student organization policies, and Texas State law.
• Hazing takes various forms, but typically involves physical risks or mental distress through, for example, humiliating, intimidating, or demeaning activities.
• Hazing can cause significant harm to individuals, groups, and the University.
• Hazing occurs in a variety of organizations including fraternities, sororities, athletic teams, performance groups, honor societies, and other organizations.
• Groups that haze can achieve the positive outcomes they seek from hazing through non-hazing means.

Students are advised “hazing” is a crime in the State of Texas. The university does not condone or allow hazing and will sanction students allowing, condoning, or participating in hazing or other dangerous acts. Students are responsible to know and comply with the law against hazing in its entirety. (This section has been directly copied from the Texas Education Code. Chapter 51 Section 51.936 & Chapter 37.151 through 37.157.

51.936. Hazing

1. Sub chapter F, Chapter 37, applies to hazing at an educational institution under this section.
2. For purposes of this section, in Sub chapter F, Chapter 37, “educational institution” means an institution of higher education.
3. Each post secondary educational institution shall distribute to each student during the first three weeks of each semester:
   1. A summary of the provisions of Sub chapter F, Chapter 37
   2. A list of organizations that have been disciplined for hazing or convicted for hazing on or off the campus of the institution during the preceding three years
4. If the institution publishes a general catalogue, student handbook, or similar publication, it shall publish summary of the provisions of Sub chapter F, Chapter 37, in each edition of the publication.

Sub Chapter F Hazing—37.151 definitions

In this Sub chapter:

1. “Educational institution” includes public or private school
2. “Pledge” means any person who has been accepted by, is considering an offer of membership from, or is in the process of qualifying for membership in an organization. At Lubbock Christian University, the term "New Member" is used in place of the term "pledge".
3. “Pledging” means any action or activity related to becoming a member of an organization
4. “Student” means any person who:
   1. is registered in or in attendance at an educational institution
   2. has been accepted for admission at the educational institution where the hazing incident occurs; or
   3. intends to attend an educational institution during any of its regular sessions after a period of scheduled vacation
5. “Organization” means a fraternity, sorority, association, corporation, order, society, corps, club, or student government, a band or musical group or an academic, athletic, cheerleading, or dance team, including any group or team that participates in National Collegiate Athletic Association competition, or a service, social, or similar group, whose members are primarily students.
6. “Hazing” means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, occurring on or off campus of an education institution, by one person alone or acting with others, directed against a student, for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in an organization.

The term includes:

1. any type of physical brutality, such as whipping, beating, striking, branding, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on the body, or similar activity;
2. any type of physical activity, such as sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, calisthenics, or other activity that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student;
3. any activity involving consumption of food, liquid, alcoholic beverage, liquor, drug, or other substance that subject the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student.
4. any activity that induces, causes, or requires the student to perform a duty or task that involves a violation of the Penal Code; or
5. involves coercing, as defined by Section 1.07, Penal Code, the student to consume:
   i.  a drug; or
   ii. an alcoholic beverage or liquor in an amount that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the student is intoxicated, as defined by Section 49.01, Penal Code.

37.152 Personal Hazing Offense

1. A person commits an offense if the person:
   1. Engages in hazing;
   2. Solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid another in engaging in hazing;
   3. Recklessly permits hazing to occur; or
   4. Has firsthand knowledge of the planning of a specific hazing incident involving a student in an educational institution, or has firsthand knowledge that a specific hazing incident has occurred, and knowingly fails to report that knowledge in writing to the Dean of Students or other appropriate official of the institution.
2. The offense of failing to report is a Class B misdemeanor.
3. Any other offense under this section that does not cause serious bodily injury to another is a Class B misdemeanor.
4. Any other offense under this section that causes serious bodily injury to another is a Class A misdemeanor.
5. Any other offense under this section that causes the death of another is a state jail felony.
6. Except if an offense causes the death of a student, in sentencing a person convicted of an offense under this section, the court may require the person to perform community service, subject to the same conditions imposed on a person placed on community supervision under Section 11, Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, for an appropriate period of time in lieu of confinement in county jail or in lieu of a part of the time the person is sentenced to confinement in county jail.

37.153. Organization Hazing Offense

1. An organization commits an offense if the organization condones or encourages hazing or if an officer or any combination of members, pledges, or alumni of the organization commits or assists in the commission of hazing.
2. An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by
   1. a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $10,000; or
   2. if the court finds that the offense caused personal injury, property damage, or other loss, a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than double the amount lost or expenses incurred because of the injury, damage, or loss.

Sec. 37.154. CONSENT NOT A DEFENSE. It is not a defense to prosecution of an offense under this subchapter that the person against whom the hazing was directed consented to or acquiesced in the hazing activity.

37.155. Immunity from Prosecution of Civil Liability

1. In the prosecution of an offense under this subchapter, the court may grant immunity from prosecution for the offense to each person who is subpoenaed to testify for the prosecution and who does testify for the prosecution.
2. Any person who voluntarily reports a specific hazing incident involving a student in an educational institution to the dean of students or other appropriate official of the institution is immune from civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of the reported hazing incident if the person:
   1. reports the incident before being contacted by the institution concerning the incident or otherwise being included in the institution's investigation of the incident; and
   2. as determined by the dean of students or other appropriate official of the institution designated by the institution, cooperates in good faith throughout any institutional process regarding the incident.
3. Immunity under Subsection (b) extends to participation in any judicial proceeding resulting from the report.
4. A person is not immune under Subsection (b) if the person:
   1. reports the person's own act of hazing; or
   2. reports an incident of hazing in bad faith or with malice.

If you have observed the activities of a student organization/individual and you feel that the organization/individual is violating the terms of its constitution or by-laws, student or university rules, or the law, please complete this form to report the issue to the Student Life Office.

To report hazing, please click on this link.

If you are in an emergency situation, please call 9-1-1.