HAZING PREVENTION CONSORTIUM HAZING 101 Elizabeth J. Allan, Ph.D. Lauri Sidelko University of Maine University of Maine December 2, 2014 stophazing.org WHY THE RESEARCH? Problems with hazing include: Physical Harm Psychological Harm
Death Emotional Harm
Liability Wasted Resources
Damaged Relationships Anger and Resentment
Mistrust Abusive Culture
Negative Image of Group/Organization stophazing.org WHY THE RESEARCH? Greater understanding needed:
• Despite efforts, hazing continues — why? • Is hazing getting worse? • Is it mainly a problem of fraternities, athletes? • Why is it difficult to change hazing cultures? • How widespread is hazing? • Who knows about it? • Are there common dynamics and/or risk factors? • What are common prevention strategies? stophazing.org CONSEQUENCES Hazing can result in outcomes that run counter to the goals of institution leaders and undermine the benefits of higher education Death Physical Harm
Emotional Harm Psychological Harm
Damaged Relationships Anger and Resentment
Mistrust Abusive Culture stophazing.org stophazing.org stophazing.org DEFINITION
“Hazing is any activity expected of someone seeking membership in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them regardless of a person’s willingness to participate”
(Hoover, 1999) stophazing.org WHAT IS HAZING?
“…regardless of a person’s willingness to participate”
Peer Pressure Coercive Environment
+ Coercion impedes true consent Desire To Belong
stophazing.org WHAT IS HAZING? Spectrum of Interpersonal Violence:
Violence
Self-directed Collective
Interpersonal Suicidal Self-abuse Social Economic
Domestic Community Political
Child Partner Elder Friend Acquaintance Stranger
stophazing.org HAZING & BULLYING
HAZING BULLYING
• Sometimes aggressive behavior HAZING • Aggressive behavior • Not always intended to cause harm • Intended to cause harm • Not always repeated over time AS • Repeated over time BULLYING Examples: social isolation, Examples: beating, Examples: hostile and deprivation of privileges, being branding, forced intimidating actions from one awakened at night, being consumption of individual to another such as required to have certain items alcohol, water swearing, shouting, and threats of always in possession, sing or intoxication violence, spreading harmful chant at unrelated events accusations about a person, using cruel nicknames for a person stophazing.org HAZING & SEXUAL ASSAULT
HAZING SEXUAL HAZING AS SEXUAL ASSAULT ASSAULT Power, control, and coercion as key elements
stophazing.org HOW COMMON IS HAZING? More than half of college students involved in clubs, teams, and organizations experienced hazing 55%
(Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org WHO IS HAZING? Hazing occurs across a range of student groups Varsity Athletics 74% Greek Life 73% Club Sport 64% Performing Arts 56% Service Org 50% Intramural Team 49% Rec Club 42% Academic Club 28% Honor Society 20% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% (Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org WHO IS HAZING? Male respondents reported engaging in hazing activities more frequently 75%
61% 50% 52%
25%
0% Male Female (Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org WHO DO STUDENTS TALK TO?
Friend 48% Another Member 41% Family Member 26% Team Captain 13% Coach or Advisor 7% Website 5% Police Officer 5% College Staff/Faculty 5% Clergy 2% 0% 12.5% 25% 37.5% 50% (Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org LOCATION OF HAZING ACTIVITIES All respondents
Private Space Public Space Other
On Campus 8% 25%
Off Campus 46% 11%
Both on and off campus 10%
0 0.15 0.3 0.45 0.6 (Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org REPORTING HAZING Students are not likely to report hazing to campus officials. 95% of those who label their experience as hazing did not report the events. 60%
45% 54% 30% 37%
15% 20% 14% 0% Didn’t want to get Afraid of negative Didn’t want to Other group in trouble consequences become outsider
(Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org OTHER REASONS FOR NOT REPORTING
• Minimization of hazing • “It was no big deal” • Being hazed is a choice • “I had a choice to participate or not” • Rationalization • “It made me a better man” • Normalization • “It was tradition, so I didn’t mind” • Lack of Awareness • “I didn’t understand it was hazing until much later”
(Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org WHO KNOWS ABOUT HAZING? Coach / advisor awareness of hazing behaviors 25%
(Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org EXPLAINING THE GAP: A gap exists between student experiences of hazing and their willingness to label it as such. 55% 5% Experience Hazing Identify they were hazed
(Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org EXPLAINING THE GAP: Of students who report experiencing a hazing behavior in college,
9out of 10 do not consider themselves to have been hazed.
(Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org EXPLAINING THE GAP:
Narrow definition of hazing: • Emphasis on physical harm • Minimization of emotional harm • Emphasis on physical force
(Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org EXPLAINING THE GAP: Emphasis on Physical Harm
“My initial thoughts on hazing are that excessive drinking and like, here are 4 bottles of tequila and 3 gallons of milk, you guys better finish this… to me, anything out of the ordinary that can be harmful to someone physically is hazing”
(Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org EXPLAINING THE GAP: Rationalization based on perceived purpose of hazing
“Hazing is good and hazing is bad. It depends on how you are using it. If you are using it to inflict harm on someone, then it is bad.”
(Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org EXPLAINING THE GAP: Denial, Minimization, Normalization • Antics • Pranks • Stunts • Traditions • Initiations • Rites of Passage • Group bonding
(Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org EXPLAINING THE GAP: Minimization and normalization of hazing
“On this campus, I don’t really hear of it much at all. I know there was a (hazing) incident with a death last year, a sorority, I forget which one…So, I’d say it’s not huge on this campus; I don’t hear much of it.”
(Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org EXPLAINING THE GAP:
Disagreement • “I know the definition of hazing, but I don’t agree with it.” Failure to see coercion • “Forcing someone to do something against their will”
(Allan & Madden, 2008) stophazing.org HAZING IS…
• Complex problem • Embedded in culture • Resistant to change THEREFORE
• No “one size fits all” solution • Collective action needed
stophazing.org RECOMMENDATIONS Making A Change
5. Take Action!
4. Acquire Skills
3. Recognize Responsibility
2. Interpret As Problem
1. Notice Hazing
(Berkowitz, 1994)
stophazing.org HAZING PREVENTION CONSORTIUM
stophazing.org HAZING PREVENTION CONSORTIUM
• Coalition-based approach- 8 colleges and universities in first cohort ! • Coaching, support, and technical assistance provided ! • Attention to context and institutional culture
stophazing.org HAZING PREVENTION CONSORTIUM
• University of Arizona • University of Central Florida • Cornell University • University of Kentucky • Lehigh University • University of Maine • Texas A&M University • University of Virginia stophazing.org HAZING PREVENTION CONSORTIUM
Related areas: • Science of prevention • Sexual Assault • Bullying • High-risk drinking • Substance abuse
stophazing.org HAZING PREVENTION CONSORTIUM
• Value of the coalition with cross-sectional engagement • People in cross section of campus may need technical assistance support to move forward
stophazing.org HAZING PREVENTION CONSORTIUM
Core Implementation Strategies: • Coalition-building • Training for Student Organization Advisors, Athletic Coaches, Residence Life Staff, Student Leaders, etc. • Social norms messaging • Visible campus leadership statements • Policy and protocol reviews • Bystander intervention • Communication to broader campus community stophazing.org HAZING PREVENTION CONSORTIUM
Evaluation case study: • An evaluation-based implementation of a hazing prevention strategy with a specific target audience • Target audience involved in design and planning of implementation strategy • Pre and post testing of pilot implementation with experimental and control groups • Analysis of evaluation data to improve implementation and measure impact stophazing.org ECOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK
Student (Individual Skill Building) Groups/Organization (Advisor training; opportunities for group dialogue) University Community (Bystander education, policy) General Community (State laws)
(Dahlburg & Krug, 2002) stophazing.org