The last week of September is National Hazing Prevention Week. It is a week that is meant to bring awareness to the act of hazing. There are programs that seek to educate about the danger of hazing and what individuals can do to prevent it. This year, The University of Akron got involved by putting on an anti-hazing program.
One stereotype of Greek life is that new members in fraternities or sororities get hazed before they can be initiated. Hazing is a big issue, not only in the Greek community but in sports teams, as well. According to stophazing.org, more than half of college students involved in teams, organizations, or clubs on campus experience hazing. It is unnecessary and dangerous, which is why the fraternities and sororities at The University of Akron don’t do it. It is against Ohio law, and everyone has to sign a Hazing Policy Compliance Form, which we take very seriously. It is up to us as a community to put an end to hazing by not partaking in it and by educating others on why it should not be done.
Akron got involved in National Hazing Prevention Week. UA Speaks set up “These Hands Don’t Haze” in the student union. Students could stop by and trace their hands on paper, cut them out, and write reasons why they don’t haze. Some reasons given were “These hands don’t haze because we love one another” and “These hands don’t haze because my sisters are my family and we are here to build each other up, not tear each other down.”
National Hazing Prevention Week is just a starting point to help end hazing. We should be working toward ending it all the time, not just one week out of the year. The Greek community here at Akron does a great job by not participating in hazing, and can be an example to show others that hazing is not necessary to have a strong brotherhood or sisterhood. Greek life is all about finding a home and people you can be comfortable around, and hazing does not help achieve that. I am thankful to be a part of a community that breaks this negative stereotype and hope that one day everyone can experience that, as well.
