Hazing Prevention Week – Chapter Strategies
Today marks the start of National Hazing Prevention Week. Hazing Prevention Week is an opportunity for us to condemn hazing as an organization, and to share strategies on how to prevent hazing altogether. There are many ways chapters and individuals can get involved in hazing prevention week – we’ve provided a few examples below!
Some ideas for participating in NHPW:
- Share your stories online – Hazing Prevention Week is a perfect opportunity to reflect on your most positive experiences of brotherhood, and how hazing is incompatible with the values we hold dear as an organization. Feel free to share these stories on social media!
- Share resources – At last year’s Kirby Leadership Conference, Jim and Evelyn Piazza (parents of Tim Piazza, a Penn State student who tragically died at the hands of hazing) shared their story with everyone in attendance. Their poignant talk can be viewed on YouTube. In this video they share an extremely powerful message that all members should hear. There are also lots of good hazing prevention-related resources online, ranging anywhere from opinion pieces to academic articles dispelling common hazing myths.
- Practice bystander intervention – Most campuses offer bystander intervention training. Although this is often presented with emphasis on sexual assault, bystander intervention is vital in hazing prevention as well. Cornell University offers some terrific bystander intervention resources on their website. Explore these resources alone or with your brothers and emphasize the fact that you are the first line of defense against hazing.
- Know your rights and responsibilities – Zetes have an obligation to keep our brothers and guests safe at all times. Inherent in this responsibility is a duty to report. If you’re aware of an instance of hazing but don’t feel comfortable confronting it directly, you can submit a report online at zetapsi.ethicspoint.com
- Take the hazing prevention pledge – The hazing prevention pledge is a simple text that we should all abide by. Sign the pledge online to indicate your commitment to keeping our communities safe.
There are lots of other ways to get involved, but these are some good places to start. Keep an eye out for more resources and updates on Zeta Psi’s official social media channels.