Forum teaches dangers of hazing

Forum+teaches+dangers+of+hazing

Last semester, seven ULM students from Kappa Alpha Psi were arrested during the investigation of a possible hazing incident.
However, after the arrests were made, students still did not consider hazing as an issue that affects ULM, according to the University Police Department.
While 86 percent of students are against hazing and say that it is unnecessary, less than 50 percent think that it is a problem at their school. This makes it difficult for real change to be made, but ULM still pushes to prevent hazing in any organization on campus.
UPD hosted a Hazing Prevention Forum last Monday to educate and warn students about the dangers of hazing, and provide resources on how to report any hazing incidents that do occur.
Attendees included over 60 percent of ULM’s Greek Life members as well as many RSO members.
The speakers were Sgt. Arthur Bradshaw and Lt. Jeremy Kent from UPD who shared what they felt to be the most important hazing information for students to learn.
Punishments for hazing incidents are often harsh, according to UPD. Earlier this year, UPD met with officials at Dillard University who spoke about a student who was found to be connected to a hazing incident and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Despite strict laws around the issue, hazing still happens.
Sometimes hazing goes unnoticed because the victims are too scared to report anything.
“Nobody wants to admit that everybody wants hazing to be over,” Bradshaw said.
There are many ways to report hazing anonymously if the individual is worried about their identity being discovered. On the ULM Safe app, you can send anonymous tips to UPD.
While lack of victims speaking out is a big reason that hazing often goes unreported, there are also many instances in which organizations know that hazing is going on but do little or nothing to stop it.
“Listen to people. Intolerance is important,” said Tykiah George, a freshman pre-nursing major.
At ULM, if an organization is discovered to have known about hazing going on within their group without taking action against it, they can be charged a $10,000 fine.
“If you see something, say something,” Kent said. “Recognize that there are real consequences for actions of hazing.”
Chailiah May, a freshman pre-pharmacy major, said required anti-hazing events like this one are an important part of college life. Every school is affected by hazing, and May said she believes no student should think that they are exempt from caring about it.
“It holds everyone to the same standard,” May said.