"Where ritual is absent, the young ones are restless or violent, there are no real elders, and the grown ups are bewildered." Malidoma Patrice Some

I was hazed. Hard. And I liked it. My attitude was "bring it on, is that all you got?" There were many men like me. We wanted to be hazed. We wanted to have to "earn" our way in. My hell week was amazing. Powerful. Then, once initiated, I turned this new-found excitement upon those that came after me and I hazed them. And, at some basic level it met a need I didn't even know I had. Yet, as I reflect back upon my four years in the fraternity, it had all the underpinnings of a very abusive situation and was rife with trauma.

I grew up with a father who taught me to be tough and to "suck it up," to hold back tears and, under no circumstances, act like a girl (I had no idea until recently that to be a man in this culture, meant to practice misogyny overtly). After my upbringing, hazing was not a big deal. I was used to being emotionally and verbally shamed. My skin was thick and I could take it. Underneath of course, I was a super sensitive boy, insecure and afraid of not getting the approval I needed so badly. In college it became some moral challenge for me to "take it" better than my fellow man, to prove myself. There were many men like me. Not just in my fraternity, but in college, in high school, on sports teams, in gangs---all wanting the same thing: to go through an extremely hard experience and then to come out the other side, somehow different, better, altered, changed forever.

My initiation week was complicated and involved us crossing the five rivers of hell as outlined in Dante's Inferno. We had to pass numerous psychological and physical tests. We were not Betas. We were made into Betas. We were forced to let go of our known identity so that we could become a well-respected active brother in the fraternity. We had to "take it like a man" to become men. This, of course meant that we all must act like tough guys and be the stereotypical, disconnected male, stuffing his feelings and his sensitivity to conform to the group ideal. Young men that didn't make it or struggled were judged as weak, not worthy to wear the badge that set us apart from other men and other fraternities. This is where my shadow and the shadow of my social group emerged.

The National Hazing Prevention Week Webinar will take place on Tuesday, September 23rd at 2pm EST. The webinar will be approximately one hour and 15 minutes in length, and the cost is $50. You may have as many participants in attendance as you would like for that fee. Remember this is a webinar so you will need adequate equipment for broadcasting visuals and sound for your number of participants.

The Interdisciplinary Institute for Hazing Intervention brought together professionals and volunteers from a wide variety of perspectives to receive training...

There are many ways to support the work of hazing prevention and this organization. The link below takes you to our website where you can read about all the ways and sign on to volunteer, share a personal story, nominate someone for an award, donate or sign up your campus/organization as a sponsor. Our work would not be possible without the support of our many generous sponsors. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us for the past four years! Sponsorship renewal time is just around the corner. View our sponsors and download the forms for sponsorship/renewal by clicking the fingerprint image above- new sponsorships for 2008-2009 begin just after NHPW 2008 on October 1, and go through NHPW 2009. If you have any questions about the various opportunities to support this work, contact us at 303-325-7831 or maxwell@hazingprevention.org

*Submit your best photo from NHPW 2007 or 2008 along with a story of less than 200 words describing the events taking place in the photo and the impact of the activity in regard to hazing prevention.

*The top three photos with stories will be awarded cash prizes along with being published in our fall newsletter.

To submit a photo and story email us at Info@hazingprevention.org

Do you know someone who has been heroic enough to expose hazing, educate about the problem, or in some way work to combat this dangerous practice? Then nominate them for the Anti-Hazing Hero Award. Awards will be given in both student and non-student categories, and recipients will receive a cash prize. All entries must be received by Sept. 26, 2008.

This year's theme is: "Bystander Responsibility." Essays will be accepted from students, parents, administrators, advisors, etc. Essays should be typed, double-spaced and not longer than 1000 words. Prizes will be awarded for the top three essays. All entries must be received by Sept. 26, 2008.

Choose a Committee: You will produce a better program if you select a planning committee from across the campus including various offices and incorporating any student group that might need education. Some suggestions are: Greek Life, Athletics, Student Activities, Counseling, Risk Management, etc. It is important to have both students and professionals as well as volunteers (advisors, etc) serve on the planning committee.
Develop a Game Plan: Think about what type of education is most needed and for which audiences. The five-step bystander model can help you as will the 2008 NHPW Resource Guide. Do parents need information, local police, faculty? How can you incorporate these groups into your programming for the week. How many events, sessions or campaigns will you be able to produce in one week? What is your budget? Who can help with funding?
Publicize: Getting good media coverage can insure that your events have the largest possible impact. Write press releases for big events and/or the entire week and consider paid advertising in the campus paper to help generate interest.
Outcomes: Think carefully about what the goal is for your Awareness Week. Is it to bring greater awareness to the issue of hazing? Let campus and community members know that Greek organizations are opposed to hazing? Share resources available? Empower faculty, staff, police and others to recognize and help report hazing? It is critical to begin your planning process with stated objectives and desired outcomes.
Evaluate: Be sure to measure the effectiveness of your programs based upon the stated outcomes. Did your programs reach the audiences you were hoping to reach? Did they meet the desired educational objectives? Were you able to do what you hoped within the budget alloted? Make good notes about this year's program to help next year's committee.

The Symposium will take place in the Fall of 2008 in conjunction with the Association of Fraternity Advisors Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado. Mark your calendar for December 3, 2008 and watch for registration materials with your AFA registration. Non-AFA members are also welcome to attend. A registration link will be available on our website in October.

Our work wouldn't be possible without those of you out on the front-lines educating, supporting and utilizing our resources within the scope of your work. Please let us know what needs you have, and how we can help.

Sincerely,