By Addison Chrivia, Managing Editor
Consider this list of punishments, and remember, it’s up to you to guess which are war crimes prosecuted for violating the Geneva Convention or hazing rituals set up by fraternities and sororities. Here we go: being waterboarded while doing wall sits; kidnapped in the middle of the night; blindfolded and bound to a chair and fed drinks through a funnel; exercising in raw sewage; and being beaten to death in a warehouse.
If you guessed that all of the above were hazing incidents at fraternities and sororities, you would be correct! If you thought any of these incidents constitute war crimes, you’re not alone.
Hazing and torture seem identical, so what makes them legally different? According to StopHazing.org, “Hazing is any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them, regardless of a person’s willingness to participate.”
Hazing often takes place as a sort of ritual or test one must take to join a fraternity or sorority — although hazing also takes place in many different organizations, from law enforcement to athletics. These traditions often involve copious drinking, humiliation, and dangerous activities. For the Greek organization, such tests give students a sense of power over others and are meant to prove a sort of loyalty.
Most students who go through the hazing stay around and show they’re willing to do anything for the fraternity or sorority. The hazing results in a sort of sunk cost fallacy, where participants believe they have to continue doing something because they’ve given up time, money, and dignity to be a part of it.
Cornell University, which has recently been in the news for its fraternity’s alleged involvement in sexual abuse, provides a long list of acts that fall under the definition of hazing, including “whipping, beating, striking… causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs, or other substances; causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts.”
These acts are not only illegal, but unthinkable for many. In fact, 44 states have made hazing illegal, with 10 making it a felony when it results in serious injury or death. Despite how inconceivable this practice may seem, hazing happens so often that there are entire legal firms dedicated to pursuing those charges.
Hazing generally operates as an add-on charge that is placed in addition to other crimes. It allows for other parties, such as the school or the fraternity or sorority, to become legally involved and pursue cases of their own.
Punishment for hazing can result in expulsion, jail time, and fines for the students, organizations, and the university. Still, even when these crimes result in deaths or serious injury, many students don’t get jail time — or when they do, it’s often under a year in duration.
Hazing even happens at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK); the university releases a campus hazing transparency report every year, which is separate from the annual Clery report, which documents crime statistics on campus. From 2025 to 2026, six organizations had hazing violations, resulting in official charges of underage drinking, misuse of college information, and descriptions including personal servitude, humiliating tasks, verbal abuse, and more.
In 2021, Kappa Alpha Psi was suspended as an organization at UTK and will be eligible to return this upcoming spring semester. A student was brought to the hospital unconscious, showing signs of both physical and sexual assault, including an alcohol enema, otherwise known as “butt-chugging.”
In 2026, between August 28 and 30, there were multiple reports of sexual assault and suspected drugging, after which UTK sent out a safety notice. There has been no follow-up regarding punishment or the investigation of these cases, and no further information has been released.
While many fraternities have issues with hazing at UTK, a Reddit post on R/UTK by Neat_Interaction_860 discusses campus sororities in depth and claims that hazing is far more frowned upon in sororities than in fraternities. This person advises students to stay away from the Kappa Delta sorority, as she knew many freshmen who were forced to drink more than they were comfortable with, one of whom was left unconscious outside and had to be taken away by an ambulance.
Overconsumption of alcohol is the main risk that comes with being in a fraternity or sorority, or, many would argue, just being in college. However, hazing takes it to a new level, with it being the primary cause of hazing-related deaths. According to the Hazing Prevention Network, over 71% of hazing incidents reportedly involved alcohol in some way. It can be easy to overindulge, especially when you’re having a good time, or you’re being pressured into it. But it’s important to remember to be cautious, as an excessive amount can result in alcohol overdose.
While severe hazing in Greek life has decreased in recent years due to punishment of individuals, the suspension of frats, and new anti-hazing laws, it’s still common in colleges. Just this year, two college students died due to alcohol intoxication after being pressured to drink large quantities. Cornell University has become infamous because of a sexual assault case involving seven students and one Jane Doe, called the Cornell 7 scandal, which is currently undergoing court proceedings.
Hearing about hazing may sound like something inconsequential, or some people may think that a little humiliation and degradation is worth it to be a part of a group. There’s always a cost, but paying with your own safety and well-being should be a price too high.
Pellissippi State Community College does its part to prevent hazing by requiring professors to report hazing incidents, whether it involves clubs, organizations, or athletics. There is also a required ‘Stop Campus Hazing Act Training’ which clarifies that hazing is illegal and professors are legally required to report it as a Clery incident.
Now consider these questions: If your friendships are based on harassment and physical abuse, are they really your friends? At the end of the day, do you really want to be part of a group that participates in acts indistinguishable from literal torture, putting people’s lives in danger just to get a cheap thrill and a sense of belonging?
