Hazing
It is important that all members of the Davidson Community - students, staff, faculty, and community members alike, speak out against hazing and report violations of the hazing policy.
Hazing can be reported using the online form.
If you are being hazed, you can fill out an incident report online or contact a staff member in Student Activities or the Dean of Students Office. Do not ignore it - no one should ever feel like they are being hazed.
All student organizations have the responsibility and expectation to make sure all of your members in the group know what hazing is and how they can report it. Ongoing education for all of your members in collaboration with the Student Activities Office and your national/international organization is key.
What Is Hazing?
Hazing is 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.
There are three components that define hazing:
- It occurs in a group context
- Humiliating, degrading, or endangering behavior
- Happens regardless of an individual’s willingness to participate
Where Does Hazing Happen?
While commonly associated with college fraternities and sororities, hazing happens in many different places. Incidents of hazing occur in many types of clubs, organizations, and teams and in diverse settings including middle and high schools, colleges and universities, the military, and workplaces.
Davidson College's Hazing Policy
The college’s perspective on hazing is broadly viewed 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. Furthermore, the college views any action in which a student is not given an option to participate, or in which an option is given but there is a consequence (whether real or perceived) of not participating, as hazing. Hazing includes violation of North Carolina law as established in NCGS §14-35.
Utilizing information from stophazing.org, Davidson College identifies three types of hazing behaviors, although the college considers all types of hazing to be serious.
- Subtle hazing - behaviors that emphasize a power imbalance between new members/rookies and other members of the group. Because these types of Hazing are often taken-for-granted or accepted as “harmless” or meaningless, subtle 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 subtle hazing to feel like part of the group or team (some types of subtle hazing may also be considered harassment hazing).
- Harassment 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).
- Violent hazing - behaviors that have the potential to cause physical, emotional, and/or psychological harm.
Examples of Hazing
Hazing can include, but is not limited to:
- Personal servitude or favors; running errands for active members
- Forced or encouraged use of alcohol or other drugs
- Paddling in any form
- Forced fatigue or sleep deprivation, including but not limited to late night and early morning activities
- Any activity that interferes with scholastic/academic responsibilities
- Forced or encouraged consumption of food items
- Participation in quests, treasure hunts, or scavenger hunts
- Activities or actions that cause physical, psychological, or emotional harm, shock, abuse, or discomfort
- Engaging in public stunts or other behaviors that would be considered as ridiculous, but amusing
- Wearing or carrying of any obscene or physically burdensome object
- Implied, coerced, or forced removal of clothing
- Degrading or humiliating games and activities
If not recognized, reported, and properly addressed, hazing can become a systemic, self-perpetuating problem. The environments where hazing most often occurs — student clubs, organizations, and teams — are living-learning laboratories for leadership development. If hazing is happening in these groups, our leaders-in-training may be learning that humiliating, harassing, or violent behavior is an accepted or expected way to induct new members and build cohesion among the group.
Hazing Resources
National Anti-Hazing Hotline: 1-888-NOT-HAZE