Collegiate Greek organizations can get a bad rap for hazing incidents. What is hazing? Will it be a problem in your organization? How can you recognize it, and how can you fight against it to create a community of sisterhood? We will answer all your hazing questions here.
What is Hazing?
Exploiting new members of a sorority or fraternity for the purpose of humiliation is considered hazing. It is meant as an initiation into a prestigious organization. Hazing includes any activity where a new member feels pressured to participate in an activity that they would normally sit out of. Alcohol or drugs can be involved but aren’t always.
Far from welcoming, tactics for hazing are dangerous and even deadly. What might start as a harmless prank can turn deadly; over 50 college students have lost their lives in hazing accidents in the 2000s.
Hazing does not have to be limited to the first few days after initiation; it can happen at any time someone belongs to an organization.
Anti-Hazing in the D9
All four of the Divine Nine sororities have explicit anti-hazing rules. These policies are in place to keep our organizations a safe space for everyone who enters.
We believe that all sorority sisters deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
Signs of Hazing
If you see some of these red flags pop up, you might have hazing going on around you.
- Mandatory meetings at unusual hours
- Changed dispositions in new recruits
- Secrecy
- Inexplicable injuries
- Exhaustion
- A sudden desire to leave a group
You may even find yourself in a position where you are being hazed, and you might not recognize it. Here are some signs that you are a victim of hazing.
- You’re required to participate in activities you wouldn’t want your family to see (or that could be detrimental to future careers)
- The events you are expected/invited to attend are shrouded in secrecy
- The events you are expected/invited to attend expose you to physical or emotional dangers
- Someone photographs your participation in activities without your permission
Whether you find yourself a victim of hazing or you suspect someone else might be, let someone with authority know. By speaking up, you can keep your sisters safe.
Communication as Prevention
Even with clear anti-hazing policies, maintain a clear boundary within your chapter. Explain that there is no tolerance for mistreating new members in any form. Let your fellow sorors know that in your chapter, everyone is safe.
If you are concerned about the safety of others in an activity they plan, especially one where not all participants fully understand what they are getting themselves into, speak to someone. Hazing thrives in secrecy, so shedding light on the situation can help put an end to it. Your chapter president should welcome any heads-up regarding suspicious plans.
College campuses (where most hazing occurs) may have a hazing prevention program. They can be a great resource for collegiate chapters and a great way for your sorority to get involved with the university.
Some sisters may be nervous to speak up about something suspicious. Your chapter may collectively decide to provide an anonymous and quick way to report any concerning events so sisters can look out for each other without fear of backlash.
Focus on the Positive
So many great experiences await new initiates. We don’t need to be bogged down with the weight of unhealthy traditions when these new sorors have so many uplifting moments to look forward to and participate in. Our D9 culture is rich and doesn’t need any superfluous and dangerous additions to our traditions.
As a Delta, you may be involved in implementing the Financial Fortitude program in your community. If you are an AKA, you might be spearheading the childhood hunger initiative CHIPP. As a Zeta, you could be involved in the recent national park preservation partnership. If you cross with Sigma Gamma Rho, you have the chance to join Project CRADLE Care to raise awareness for inequitable Black maternal and infant health.
You will find your calendars filled with annual picnics, jazz brunches, conferences, and more. You will get personalized Greek paraphernalia and sorority shirts. You will learn chants and steps. Being a member of a Divine Nine sorority is steeped in tradition, but those traditions should not be hazardous to anyone.
Hazing is not just prevalent in Greek organizations. Any organized group is at risk for hazing, including collegiate athletics, political organizations, honors societies, performing arts organizations, and residence halls. Use what you have learned here to help your loved ones and those around you recognize and leave dangerous situations. Hazing is never okay, and no one deserves to be hazed.
