For Community Members

Hazing impacts the entire campus community. Contrary to popular belief, hazing doesn’t just happen in certain organizations or cultures, it can happen anywhere.

Hazing is a deeply rooted practice in many organizations that is dangerous and harmful to our students and their wellbeing. Hazing can result in trauma, academic decline, broken relationships, hospitalization, and legal repercussions.

It is our responsibility to protect our students. 

Hazing is NOT harmless. Hazing can have negative consequences on those being hazed, including:

• Physical, emotional, and/or mental instability,
• Sleep deprivation,
• Loss of sense of control and empowerment,
• A decline in grades and coursework.
• Relationships with friends, significant others and family suffer.
• Post-traumatic stress syndrome.
• Erosion of trust within the group members.
• Illness or hospitalization with additional effects on family and friends.

Hazing doesn’t just impact the ones being hazed, it also has an impact on those who haze. Including:

• Triggering the memory of personal trauma.
• Suspension, expulsion and/or legal action, which may include misdemeanor or felony charges and/or jail time.
• Declining grades and coursework.
• Deterioration of relationships with friends, significant others and family.
• Intense media scrutiny.
• Damage to one’s personal reputation.
• Warped sense of leadership.
• Feelings of shame and guilt.

As a community, it’s our responsibility to protect our students from these negative impacts and do our part to prevent hazing and help make UW-Madison safe for our students.

“Red flags” that may indicate that a person has experienced hazing:

• Changes in behavior and communication that may correspond with the timing of a person becoming involved with an organization.
• Disrupted patterns of behavior: Not attending classes, change in grades, becoming difficult to reach or other changes in patterns of communication, not coming home as/when expected, not eating meals as usual, change in personal hygiene, only associating with certain people.
• Describes activities that would meet the definition of hazing, but refers to them as “traditions” or “initiations.”
• Chronic fatigue.
• Symptoms of depression.
• Friends, roommates, organizational/school staff, and/or parents/siblings express concerns about change in behavior.
• Unusual photos posted in Facebook.

“Red flags” that may indicate hazing in organizations or institutions

• Recent official reports and conduct cases on hazing
• Unofficial reports and social media about hazing
• Reputation for hazing
• Information about group process for induction is not discussed/presented publicly
• Lack of clear, accessible leadership statement on hazing
• Lack of available or easily accessible information about hazing and its prevention
• Hazing policy and reporting procedures are not easily accessible and/or do not convey clarity and consistency of information, processes, and consequences for hazing
• Limited organizational transparency regarding hazing incidents (e.g. organization is not communicating openly and informing community members about hazing investigations and incidents)*
• No or minimal information on hazing presented to members/students at orientations, college residential assistant trainings etc.
• No or minimal information on hazing presented to community members (e.g. alumni, parents, local organizations and schools)
• No training programs for group staff and leadership
• No committee, task force or group established to coordinate hazing prevention effort.

Once we notice the signs of hazing, our next move is to respond effectively. Effective Response can be direct, or indirect, and there are many ways that we can take action to help protect our students from hazing.

Click here to learn how to respond.