Hazing Prevention Education

W&L offers in-person hazing prevention education to all current members, new members, and potential new members of student organizations with a new member process, and advisors and coaches of such organizations. This includes training as required by Adam's law and supplemental educational programs for faculty, staff, and students. 

Hazing May Take Various Forms: 

W&L policy and institutional conduct processes define hazing by the Code of Virginia § 18.2-56 and the federal Stop Campus Hazing Act. Hazing acts can fall into one or more of the following categories:

  • Intimidation: Acts that emphasize a power imbalance between newer/younger member(s) and active/older member(s) of a given organization. These acts often involve breaching reasonable standards of mutual respect and placing a newer member(s) on the receiving end of ridicule, embarrassment, and/or humiliation for tasks unrelated to the expectations of membership in the given organization. 
  • Harassment: Acts that cause, or have the potential to cause, emotional anguish or physical discomfort. These acts often cause undue stress for the newer member(s) unrelated to the expectations of membership in the given organization.
  • Violence: Acts that cause, or have the potential to cause, physical or psychological harm to a newer member(s) above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the given organization.

It's important to remember that certain hazing behaviors may fit into multiple categories and that the context of the given behavior/activity must be considered. 

Hazing Misconceptions:

The below references are based on national data, not specific to Washington and Lee.

  • "Hazing doesn't actually hurt anyone." The Truth: Approximately 30 people have died in hazing incidents during the past five years and numerous others have been severely injured, physically or mentally.

  • "Hazing builds unity." The Truth: Unity will be created within the people being hazed but they will be unified against the organization. The end result is a number of unified groups within one disunited organization. Why not strive for complete unity instead?

  • "Hazing only exists in fraternities and sororities." The Truth: Hazing incidents have occurred across the country in athletic teams, military units, performing arts groups, religious groups, and other types of clubs and organizations. Hazing occurs in high schools, on college campuses, and within many professional settings.

  • "It's tradition. It's not hazing." The Truth: Some people defend their activities as being time honored tradition that somehow prepare new members for life challenges. "Tradition" does not justify subjecting new members to mental or physical abuse. Traditions are created by groups, and groups hold the power to change or eliminate them. It only takes one year and often one strong member to break a hazing tradition.

Additional Hazing Prevention Resources:

  • StopHazing - StopHazing's mission is to promote safe and inclusive school, campus, and organizational environments through research, resource sharing, and the development of data-driven strategies for hazing prevention and the promotion of positive and inclusive group climates. 
  • Hazing Prevention Network -The Hazing Prevention Network, formerly known as HazingPrevention.Org, is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering people to prevent hazing. Our goal is to educate people about the dangers of hazing, advocate for change, and engage the community in strategies to prevent hazing.
  • Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research - The Piazza Center utilizes a research-driven approach to target the underlying factors of hazing while promoting healthier fraternities, sororities, student organizations, and athletic programs to build safer and stronger campus communities.