College Sports Hazing Lawyers in Chicago
At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., our Chicago injury lawyers protect the rights of college students and athletes who have been mistreated and victimized by dangerous hazing practices. We represent the former Northwestern University football player who filed the first lawsuit against the university after a scathing investigation revealed a tradition of sports team hazing, overlooked by the authorities required to prevent such actions. Other athletes, including a former Northwestern volleyball player, have brought forth similar cases to seek accountability from the university and seek significant reform to prevent similar events from happening in the future. Many more cases from former athletes are expected to be filed in the coming weeks.
If you believe you or your child was victimized by hazing, reach out to our compassionate hazing victim attorneys at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. for a free case review.
What Is Hazing?
Hazing is an activity that is expected of someone joining or participating in a group that generally includes the following:
- Involvement in a group context
- Humiliating, degrading, or dangerous behavior
- Occurrence regardless of the victim’s willingness to participate
Hazing is often a coercive activity that threatens the social isolation of someone if they do not comply with unreasonable requests. Individuals are simply trying to find a sense of belonging but are victimized instead.
Hazing is not just “clean fun” or a “rite of passage.” It is a dangerous activity that can lead to serious bodily harm or even death.
Common Hazing Practices
Hazing takes many forms. Some examples of hazing practices include: (please note the re-order here)
- Water exhaustion
- Excessive physical exertion, such as being required to run while blindfolded or carry heavy sandbags
- Physical abuse, such as beating, paddling, egging, red-bellying, or branding
- Forced ingestion of spicy foods, toxic substances, or drugs
- Forced alcohol consumption, such as forcing individuals to play drinking games until they vomit or pass out
- Personal servitude, such as being required to complete degrading tasks for other members
- Verbal abuse, including being yelled at, screamed at, or cursed at by other members
- Threats of physical abuse or social isolation
- Public and private humiliation, such as requiring individuals to chant or sing in public, wear embarrassing attire, participate in skits involving degrading acts, or
- Sleep deprivation, such as requiring new members to stay awake for long periods or waking them up throughout the night
- Social isolation of new members
- Unwelcome sexual advances or acts, including sexual abuse, rape, coerced sexual acts, or sexual simulations
Hazing may involve a system of demeaning activities. The Daily Northwestern reported allegations of hazing that included requiring members of a sports team to:
- Be restrained while older players simulated sexual activities on the victim
- Drink sports drink shakes until they vomit
- Strip naked and bear crawl or slingshot their bodies
- Be sprayed with a water hose
Because hazing can take on so many distinct forms, victims do not always realize when they are subjected to it. Hazing also continues to exist in a veil of secrecy designed to prevent its exposure to the public. Some organizations have a code of silence to try to prevent members from disclosing the atrocities that are occurring. Sometimes, there is even an organized effort to protect the abusers and the university at large.
Where Hazing Occurs
Hazing occurs in many settings, including the following:
- Schools
- Colleges and universities
- Fraternities
- Sororities
- Student clubs and organizations
- Athletic departments
- Football teams
- Cheerleading squads
- Baseball teams
- Softball teams
- Volleyball teams
- Soccer teams
- Workplaces
- The military
Hazing is not isolated to only one particular setting. It can occur in many different environments, especially when institutions allow the culture to continue.
Impacts of Hazing
Hazing can significantly impact victims, causing such severe problems as:
- Death
- Serious physical injury
- Psychological problems, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety
- Emotional disturbances
- Sleep deprivation
- A decline in academic performance
- Problems in victims’ social relationships
Some incidents of hazing result in permanent consequences to the victims and a lifetime of suffering.
Hazing can also negatively impact the victims’ friends and family. It can create a negative association of hazing abuse to the college, harm the student environment, lead to negative publicity, and decrease the number of students who want to attend the school.
What to Do If You Were Impacted by Hazing
If you or your child suffered a hazing injury, the personal injury lawyers at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. want to help. We have seen, too many times, institutions that protect profits over people and allow a culture of sexual abuse, harassment, and hazing. This centuries-old tradition needs to stop once and for all. We want to end hazing practices wherever they are occurring. We can help hold universities accountable at the highest levels.
Our law firm has a long history of successfully representing the rights of personal injury victims. We’ve recovered $2.5 billion on behalf of our deserving clients and proudly represent college students and their families in cases involving serious injury and death, including sexual abuse, sexual assault, hazing, and wrongful death cases.
We offer a free, no-obligation case review in which we can discuss your claim in a confidential setting. Call us today to learn more.
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