Refuse

Saying no to hazing activities makes a difference. Together we can protect our campus from hazing by refusing to engage in or be witness to hazing activities. In many cases, hazing is confused with team building activities, however, there are number of differences that distinguish hazing from team building.

Don’t Participate in Hazing

Be sure you are confident that the activities you are choosing to participate in and be witness to could not be considered hazing. Bystanders who do not engage in but participate passively by watching a hazing incident occur are also held responsible for their participation in the incident.

To be sure you are not participating in hazing, ask yourself:

1. Am I doing anything illegal?
2. Am I being asked to keep these activities a secret? Why?
3. Would I participate in this activity if my parents were watching?
4. Does this activity violate my values or those of this organization?
5. Is it causing emotional distress or stress of any kind to me or others?

The Liberty Way

The Liberty Way classifies hazing incidents under the Statement on Personal and Community Respect.  If found responsible for having participated in an incident that included hazing, the outcome will depend on the level of severity of the incident.  Extreme cases may result in Dismissal.

Virginia Law

Hazing is a Class1 Misdemeanor under VA law. Section 18.2-56 of the Code of Virginia provides the following:”It shall be unlawful to haze, or otherwise mistreat so as to cause bodily injury, any student at any school, college, or university.

Any person found guilty thereof shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, unless the injury would be such as to constitute a felony, and in that even the punishment shall be inflicted as is otherwise provided by law for the punishment of such a felony.

Any person receiving bodily injury by hazing or mistreatment shall have a right to sue, civilly, the person or persons guilty thereof, whether adults or infants.

The president, or other presiding official of any school, college, or university, receiving appropriations from the State treasury shall, upon satisfactory proof of guilt of any student found guilty of hazing or mistreating another student so as to cause bodily injury, expel such student so found guilty, and shall make report thereof to the attorney for the Commonwealth of the county or city in which such school, college, or university is, who shall present the same to the grand jury of such city or county convened next after such report is made to him.”