Hazing: Child Play or Violent Crime?

On a startling Court TV program, Al Rokerto violate the provisions of Section 16-3-910 and any of
investigated the horrors of 'hazing' reportedly not onlysuch persons do any overt act towards carrying out
in College sororities and fraternities, but even in highsuch unlawful agreement, confederation, or conspiracy,
schools across the country. The program waseach such person shall be guilty of a felony and, upon
extremely revealing and shocking as it provided aconviction, shall be punished in like manner as provided
weatlh of information regarding so-called Greek 'hazing'for the violation of Section 16-3-910.ARTICLE
rituals carried out across this Nation. Unfortunately,17.HARASSMENT AND STALKINGSECTION
hazing is a predominant force among colleges, schools,16-3-1700.Definitions.As used in this article:(A)
military and even church groups, that it is blatantly out"Harassment" means a pattern of intentional,
of control. Often, supposed 'leaders' or participants ofsubstantial, and unreasonable intrusion into the private
hazing are sadly protected by 'frat brothers & sisters,'life of a targeted person that causes the person and
school coaches, and are rarely prosecuted for hazingwould cause a reasonable person in his position to
incidents - even those involving death. The horrors ofsuffer mental distress. Harassment may include, but is
hazing are so unbelievable that most parents wouldnot limited to:(1) following the targeted person as he
shiver to think that their child could ultimately be facedmoves from location to location;(2) visual, physical,
with such vile cruelty.What exactly is 'hazing?'verbal, written, or electronic contact that is initiated,
According to the NFHS' Interscholastic Athleticmaintained, or repeated after a person has been
Administration magazine, 'Hazing is defined as: any actprovided notice that the contact is unwanted;(3)
or ceremony which creates the risk of harm to thesurveillance of or the maintenance of a presence near
student or to any other party and that is committed asthe targeted person's:(a) residence;(b) place of work;(c)
a form of initiation into a particular club or activity.school; or(d) another place regularly occupied by the
Hazing includes, but is not limited to, activities thattargeted person; and(4) vandalism and property
involve the risk of physical harm, whipping, branding,damage.SECTION 16-3-1710.Penalties upon conviction
ingesting vile substances, sleep deprivation,for harassment.(A) A person who engages in
over-exposure to heat or cold, restraint, nudity, orharassment is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon
kidnapping. Hazing could also include include actions orconviction, must be fined not more than two hundred
simulations of a sexual nature, activities that create adollars, imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.(B)
hostile, abusive, or intimidating environment for theA person convicted of harassment against a person
student.'As a random example, the state of Southwithin seven years of a prior conviction of harassment
Carolina lists the S.C. Code of Laws for hazingagainst or stalking of that person, or when an injunction
as:ARTICLE 6.HAZING SECTION 16-3-510Hazingor restraining order is in effect prohibiting this conduct, is
unlawful; definitions.It is unlawful for a person toguilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be
intentionally or recklessly engage in acts which have afined not more than one thousand dollars, imprisoned
foreseeable potential for causing physical harm to anot more than one year, or
person for the purpose of initiation or admission into or-----------Clearly, we can see that all of the above laws
affiliation with a chartered or nonchartered student,directly coincide with incidents of 'hazing.' Deplorably,
fraternal, or sororal organization. Fraternity, sorority, orthese laws reflect similar views across the Nation and
other organization for purposes of this section meansare in incredible need of revisioning. In addition to this,
those chartered and nonchartered fraternities,Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota
sororities, or other organizations operating in connectionand Wyoming have absolutely no anti-hazing laws. To
with a school, college, or university. This section doesfind out how your individual state laws are written, you
not include customary athletic events or similarcan review them by going to StopHazing.org for a
contests or competitions, or military training whethercomplete list of states.In a report written by Greg
state, federal, or educational.SECTIONToppo of USA Today in 2004, there were 48
16-3-520.Unlawful to assist in or fail to report hazing.It isschool-related violent deaths from August through
unlawful for any person to knowingly permit or assistJune alone. In his article, he writes, 'President Bush's
any person in committing acts made unlawful by2005 budget proposes a 40% drop in spending for
Section 16-3-510 or to fail to report promptly anyjuvenile crime prevention, following a 44% cut...' For
information within his knowledge of acts made unlawfulmore literature on hazing, read 'Too Cruel for School,'
by Section 16-3-510 to the chief executive officer ofby People Magazine (compliments of HazingLaw.com),
the appropriate school, college, or university.SECTION'511 Dangerous Traditions: Hazing Rituals on Campus
16-3-530.Penalties.Any person who violates theand University Liability,' (Journal of College and
provisions of Sections 16-3-510 or 16-3-520 is guilty ofUniversity Law) or 'Brutal Rituals - Dangerous Rites'
a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished(the American School Board Journal).Is 'hazing' child's
by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars or byplay or violent crime? I'd like to refer back to the list of
imprisonment for a term not to exceed twelve months,laws above for that answer. It is plain to see that
or both.SECTION 16-3-540.Consent not a defense.Thehazing groups are liken to that of sociological
implied or express consent of a person to acts whichdestructive cult groups. A shared trait of both
violate Section 16-3-510 does not constitute a defensesociological cults and hazing members, are that they
to violations of Sections 16-3-510 orboth isolate their victims or 'pledges' from friends and
------------------If we look at this law, we can clearly seerelatives to gain private access, and better control
how vaguely defined the hazing law is. In fact, theover them. Additionally, they both tend to brainwash
penalties are a gross insult to student or other individualmembers or prospective members into believing their
victims of 'hazing incidents.' In one breath, it states thatideals and practices. A good checklist to review on
'...it is unlawful for a person to intentionally or recklesslycult-like behavior can be found on a Cult Checklist.
engage in acts which have a forseeable potential for(Checklist can be found at a social issue, hazing is a
causing physical harm to a person...' Then if we scrollvolatile crime that should not only be prosecuted to the
down on the same code of laws' page, we find thefullest extent of assault, battery, rape and other
following set of similar laws, exluding hazing bycriminal laws; but also, any community leaders such as
-----------------Article 7ASSAULT AND CRIMINALcoaches, teachers, etc. should be held accountable for
SEXUAL CONDUCTSECTION 16-3-620.Assault andinaction to prevent hazing incidents when they are
battery with intent to kill.The crime of assault andaware or condone such events. Today, hazing is still
battery with intent to kill shall be a felony in this Stateconsidered 'child's play' by many communities that yield
and any person convicted of such crime shall bea blind eye to hazing rituals. In most cases, victims are
punished by imprisonment not to exceed twentyhumiliated, physically tortured, mentally abused,
years.SECTION 16-3-654.Criminal sexual conduct in themolested, raped, and live with emotional and physical
third degree.(1) A person is guilty of criminal sexualscars that may last a lifetime. Hazing victims are
conduct in the third degree if the actor engages inusually forced to leave schools, institutions and other
sexual battery with the victim and if any one or moreorganizations in fear of their lives.Hazing is NOT child's
of the following circumstances are proven:(a) Theplay. It is a violent act or acts that sometimes leads to
actor uses force or coercion to accomplish the sexuala senseless, fatal crime. As a parent, it appauls me
battery in the absence of aggravatingthat a Nationwide law has not been legislated to
circumstances.(b) The actor knows or has reason toprevent or legitimately prosecute hazing organizations.
know that the victim is mentally defective, mentallyA formidable form of 'child's play,' hazing is considered
incapacitated, or physically helpless and aggravatedlight-hearted and a simple 'initiation process' until it
force or aggravated coercion was not used tohappens to your child, your niece or nephew, or your
accomplish sexual battery.(2) Criminal sexual conductsibling.There are several organizations, like
in the third degree is a felony punishable byStopHazing.org that advocates total elimination of
imprisonment for not more than ten years, accordingHazing and offers in-depth resources, support and a
to the discretion of the court.ARTICLE 9.KIDNAPPINGfree sign-up form (See site) for individuals interested in
SECTIONSECTION 16-3-910.Kidnapping.Whoever shallsupporting their efforts.Hank Nuwer, a leading
unlawfully seize, confine, inveigle, decoy, kidnap, abductresearcher in citing hazing incidents and deaths, has
or carry away any other person by any meanswritten several informative books on hazing. Per his
whatsoever without authority of law, except when awebsite, (hazing.hanknuwer.com), Mr. Nuwer provides
minor is seized or taken by his parent, is guilty of abeneficial resources to individuals about hazing
felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned for aincidents, external links, laws, and much more.In a 'moral'
period not to exceed thirty years unless sentenced forand civilized society, hazing should never be tolerated.
murder as provided in Section 16-3-20.SECTIONYou can make a world of difference...stay informed,
16-3-920.Conspiracy to kidnap.If two or more personsget involved, be aware and stop hazing in its tracks
enter into an agreement, confederation, or conspiracybefore it touches you personally.