The Importance of Reporting Hazing: From a Sister Who Lost Her Brother

In this guest blog post, Preston Hazelwood, sister of Lofton who was killed by hazing at the University of Kentucky in 2021, shares her perspective on the importance of reporting hazing. Following her brother’s death, Preston interned with StopHazing as a Research-to-Practice Intern and became an advocate for hazing prevention.

What is it?

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 (Allan & Madden, 2008). Although there are clear and documented dangers of hazing, there are many barriers that still prevent individuals from reporting hazing, and I want to share, from my perspective– as a college student, sorority woman, and sister of a hazing victim– why it is so important to report if a student recognizes any signs of hazing. Reporting can save a life.

What I’ve Seen

From my observations as a college student in a sorority, it is clear that there are many barriers to reporting that exist for us. I feel the most common one is the fear of getting in trouble or retaliation from peers. Especially in fraternities, it is common for members to say that they didn’t want to say anything or get involved with a situation because they would face severe consequences from upperclassmen that would only cause long-term problems. I think this is a major issue because the fear of getting in trouble results in students staying silent and allowing the cycle of hazing to continue. Students also often feel that an incident was not even worthy of reporting because it was “not that big of a deal.” All of these reasons that I’ve perceived as a college student are consistent with the documented research and the National Study of College Student Hazing. Yet, any incident that makes a student or others feel uncomfortable is more than worthy of reporting. In the end, reporting an issue is much better than staying silent. 

How do you recognize signs of hazing? What do you look for? 

Unhealthy behavior can manifest in different ways to contribute to a culture of hazing. Sabotaging and manipulative behavior is often a major piece of hazing. Members may try to control certain decisions and actions of others or coerce them into performing certain behaviors that could lead to major problems. For more information about the warning signs of unhealthy group behaviors, visit StopHazing’s 10 Signs of Healthy & Unhealthy Groups Toolkit and Training. It is important to understand these unhealthy behaviors to be able to recognize when to report and I think this toolkit and training clearly showcases and helps educate people on healthy and unhealthy groups and what behaviors to look for that might be considered hazing.

My Story: Preston Hazelwood

In order to highlight the importance of reporting, I want to share my personal experience with the culture of hazing. On October 18, 2021, my younger brother, Lofton Hazelwood, tragically lost his life at his fraternity house at the University of Kentucky due to hazing. There is a tradition at UKY for the pledges of fraternities to go to sorority houses to serenade their members on Monday evenings. 

It was a Monday night. His fraternity, FarmHouse fraternity, also called it a “tradition” to drink Wild Turkey 101 before they went to the sorority houses. Within an hour, my brother was so intoxicated that he could not walk, and they put him on a couch in one of the rooms and left him alone. His blood alcohol content was over four times the legal limit at 0.354. No one called 911 until almost an hour later. 

Clearly, there were barriers to reporting in my brother’s situation. The other fraternity members were scared to call for help for fear they would get in trouble from the university or other authorities. When someone finally decided to call for help, it was too late. If they would have called for help and reported the incident immediately, they could have saved my brother’s life. 

Report Hazing, Save a Life

It is important to me to highlight the fact that many states have amnesty laws that exist to prevent situations like this from occurring. In Kentucky, there is an official amnesty law in place that protects individuals from prosecution who report instances involving illegal behavior. I encourage you to research your state legislation, especially when it comes to amnesty laws. Students should also educate themselves on where and how to report. Universities typically have resources for students to report behaviors such as hazing. Typically students can go online to their university’s website or to a building on campus and file a report – often anonymously as well. 

Healthy Groups Don’t Haze

While it is important to recognize the signs of unhealthy groups, it is also important to focus on what healthy groups should look like. In my opinion, healthy groups and organizations should build up their members and allow them to grow and flourish as a person. I was able to be involved in a sorority and several other organizations on campus that, fortunately, gave me a positive experience that I wish everyone was given. I was treated with respect and kindness by others and lifted up through words of encouragement rather than belittled and torn down. Members took responsibility when at fault in a healthy way, and if conflict occurred, it was resolved through healthy communication and non-judgmental confrontation.

Conclusion: Them Importance of Reporting

In conclusion, reporting instances of hazing – as well as other harmful and risky behaviors – is important. Reporting can help prevent dangerous outcomes and potentially save a life. I know all too well, failing to report hazing can lead to way more harm than good. As a student, it is important to educate yourself on hazing and recognizing the warning signs of it; you should also know where and how to report hazing; and stick to groups that demonstrate healthy group behaviors and provide meaningful and positive experiences. 

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Guest Writer: Preston Hazelwood, Student Research-to-Practice Intern

Questions? Email info@stophazing.org