I’m a college student. While I’ve been an intern with StopHazing for a while now, before I started college, I didn’t understand what hazing was. I didn’t know that hazing could happen in any group, or that it transcended concepts of consent due to its coercive aspects (Allan & Madden, 2008, adapted from Hoover, 1999). I’m not alone in this either; in the 2008 National Study of Student Hazing, researchers found that across the country, “students report limited exposure to hazing prevention efforts that extend beyond a ‘hazing is not tolerated’ approach” (Allan & Madden, 2012; 2008). If I had experienced hazing, I wouldn’t have known what it was, and therefore would have lacked the words to communicate about it. As a friend to others who went through hazing, I know that I didn’t have the words to identify it as hazing or support them through their experience. Now I do – and I believe that I could have made (and still can make) a difference as a friend and a peer.

When I started on my campus two years ago, the hazing conversation was nonexistent. There was no orientation training that covered it, no infographics were available, and I was not made aware of any student or staff representation for the cause. From my eyes, it was an apocalyptic scene in the way of anti-hazing resources. 

Flash forward a couple of semesters: I was grabbing dinner with a friend who was rushing a Greek organization. I asked why he was interested in this, and he told me that he was worried he would lose social status with his friends from a club sport he participated in if he didn’t join. I asked him if they were really his true friends, considering that they wouldn’t treat him the same unless he was in the fraternity. He laughed off my comment. His desire to be included in this group must have been strong enough to make the exhausting and often humiliating pledging process seem worth it.

At the time, I didn’t even realize this was hazing. However, if I had the understanding I do now, I would have informed my friend that these tasks being required of him were hazing, no matter if he thought he consented or they seemed worth it to him. Even though his communication surrounding the topic suggested he was choosing to participate in the rush activities, the “power dynamics and social pressures [of hazing] create an environment where individuals comply not out of free will, but rather to secure acceptance, membership, or avoid exclusion” (StopHazing & God Bless the Child Productions, LLC (2025). HAZING Film Addendum for Power Dynamics). 

The image is an infographic titled “THE SPECTRUM OF HAZING™”. It presents a spectrum ranging from low to high (left to right) for recognition and high to low (left to right) for frequency of hazing behaviors. On the left side, under low recognition and high frequency, are Intimidation behaviors including: Deception, Assignment of demerits, Silence periods with implied threats for violation, Social isolation of new members, Use of demeaning names, and Expecting certain items to always be in one’s possession. In the middle section, under moderate recognition and frequency, are Harassment behaviors including: Verbal abuse, Threats or implied threats, Asking new members to wear embarrassing attire, Skit nights with degrading or humiliating acts, Sleep deprivation, and Sexual simulations. On the right side of the spectrum under high recognition but low frequency are behaviors of Violence including: Forced alcohol or drug consumption, Beating, paddling, or other forms of physical assault, Branding, Forced ingestion of vile substances, Water intoxication, Abduction/kidnapping, and Sexual assault. The top and bottom axes indicate that as recognition decreases (moving left), frequency increases (moving up), implying that less recognized forms of hazing occur more often. The infographic includes a footnote citing ALLAN; 2005; ALLAN & KERSCHNER; 2020 ADAPTED FROM BRINGING IN THE BYSTANDER® at the bottom left corner. There is also a STOP HAZING logo at the bottom right corner.

If I had the knowledge I do now, I would have also liked to discuss with him how hazing can be harmful even when it takes forms such as intimidation and harassment, rather than physical violence (Allan, 2005; Allan & Kerschner, 2020; [Adapted from Bringing in the Bystander®], The Spectrum of Hazing™). It could have been a particularly impactful learning moment for us both, and it could have plausibly kept peers from harm.

Why do I think he would have been receptive to my points in this way?

The fact that we were having this conversation is significant because, even though we never mentioned the word ‘hazing,’ we still discussed it. As the National Hazing Study revealed, “Students are most inclined to talk with peers (48%, 41%) or family (26%) about their hazing experiences” (Allan & Madden, 2008). However, what happens when the peers don’t have a thorough understanding of hazing? In my case, the opportunity to intervene and prevent hazing was missed. Alongside this data revealing the importance of peers in hazing cases, as I mentioned, “students report limited exposure to hazing prevention efforts that extend beyond a ‘hazing is not tolerated’ approach” (Allan & Madden, 2012; 2008). Further, workshops on hazing are some of the least executed hazing prevention activities across campus (Allan & Madden, 2012; 2008), though this delivery method has been shown to create shifts in student attitudes and perceptions of hazing (Kerschner & Allan, 2024: Santacrose et al., 2020). For these reasons, my friend and I were both unaware of the opportunity for intervention due to our lack of understanding of hazing. 

I believe it is paramount that institutions begin to better educate their students about hazing and empower them to join and create prevention efforts on campuses. With the recent passage of the Stop Campus Hazing Act, each university and college across our nation now has to track and produce reports of hazing on campus to include in their mandated Annual Security Reports. This is extremely impactful for students and families, allowing them to make more informed decisions about campuses and groups to join. 

For these reasons, as a student knowledgeable on the topic of hazing, I would like to make a few suggestions to the teams working on hazing prevention across the nation. My ideas are informed by the gaps I’ve noticed on my campus, as well as the opportunities being overlooked in hazing prevention efforts. As a student who wishes I were aware of resources when I needed them, these are the ways I suggest you consider better educating, empowering, and collaborating with your students on the topic of hazing:

1. Better Hazing Prevention Resource Access

Educating Students About Hazing- Don't Wait, Act Now

Many campuses across the nation have resource centers and clubs for students on the topics of personal identities, mental health, and interpersonal violence. If possible, consider establishing a resource center following these similar models in offering a safe space for students to talk about hazing, report hazing, and come to understand it better. For example, your resource center could host events inspired by StopHazing’s Bystander Intervention Guide, empowering students to uphold healthy group and team values, preventing hazing, across your campus.

Additionally, a central website that hosts your Annual Security Report, hazing transparency reports, hazing prevention and reporting resources, and any other resources you develop can bring the topic to students’ fingertips more easily. If you’re looking for a simpler way to get students involved, establishing/sponsoring an Anti-Hazing club that hosts educational events – such as a We Don’t Haze documentary screening and workshop – across campus could help to get students involved, as well as establishing peer educator positions, similar to StopHazing’s Student Ambassador program. These efforts could prove to make the topic of hazing safer for student discussion on campus. Many of StopHazing’s workshops and trainings could be used to inform these campus events. Additionally, putting up posters around campus can be an effective way to spread awareness about hazing.

2. National Hazing Awareness Week

As the new school year approaches, consider launching an awareness campaign or joining the efforts of National Hazing Awareness Week (NHAW). Set for September 22-26 of this year, NHAW can bring educational and empowering resources on the topic of hazing prevention to your campus. Students can get involved either by participating in tabling, social media campaigns, and signing a pledge to spread the word about hazing, by visiting the tables to gain more understanding of what hazing is, what their institution and state hazing policies are, and how they can work to prevent hazing.

3. Hazing Education at Orientation

Instituting a better hazing education curriculum at your institution would be extremely impactful as well. Hazing prevention education should be included alongside other college health topics like interpersonal violence and substance misuse during new student orientation. Informing incoming students who may or may not be familiar with hazing could be a very effective preventative measure. First-year students are the most at risk of entering spaces with hazing, given their likelihood of trying to join clubs and groups. If they go into this endeavor with a fresh understanding of hazing, they can better help keep themselves and their peers safe. StopHazing offers resources to support this effort, including our StandUp to Hazing course and a collection of workshops and trainings.


4. Student Feedback & Evaluation

Asking students for their opinion could also help inform your creation of effective hazing prevention across your campus. While recommendations for hazing prevention best practices were shared by Allan and Madden (2012; 2008), there may be specific strategies that better support the needs and contexts of your campus culture. As your efforts expand, it could be useful to connect with students through surveys and/or conversations about their views on the impact of your offerings, as well as any lingering confusion they have surrounding hazing. This invaluable insight could be lucrative for fine-tuning your campus hazing prevention. If you need support with campus-wide assessments, StopHazing can offer assistance.

While this is not an exhaustive list, these are some good places to start in order to build staff and student collaboration and communication for hazing prevention on your campus. My personal experiences inform my belief that incorporating students and student leaders in solutions is extremely important, as many interpersonal interactions occur around every hazing case. If students lack a workable understanding of hazing and hazing prevention resources on campus, the opportunity for intervention within each of these interactions will be missed, like mine was. I believe that students on your campus have special knowledge about their specific campus community, and when informed and supported, can make a huge impact in keeping themselves and their peers safe from hazing.

Guest Author: Josie Veilleux

StopHazing Research-to-Practice Intern & Undergraduate Student at Princeton University