Hazing: Destroying Young Lives

by Hank Nuwer (Editor)

For decades, hazing rituals–such as excessive drinking, drug use, paddling, and sexual abuse–have been required by many teams and organizations as a rite of passage, while administration and department heads have turned a blind eye. In recent years, several young men and women have lost their live from hazing-related practices in Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, California, Louisiana, Virginia, and Massachusetts. But these practices and rituals are no longer linked just to large organizations and schools. Secondary schools are also seeing an increase in hazing lawsuits due to sexual and alcohol abuse conducted by sports teams. In Hazing: Destroying Young Lives, anti-hazing journalist Hank Nuwer assembles an extraordinary cast of experts to critique the evolution of this dangerous practice, from the first fraternity hazing death at Cornell University in 1873 to present-day tragedies. This hard-hitting compilation addresses the numerous, significant, and often overlooked impacts of hazing, including sexual exploitation, mental distress, depression, and even suicide.

Hazing: Destroying Young Lives is a compelling look at how universities, the military, and other social groups can learn from past mistakes and protect their members going forward.

About the Author
Hank Nuwer is best known for his writing on hazing as a social problem. He worked as a freelance journalist for GQ, NYT Sunday Magazine, Harper's, and Outside. He is the author of several books, including Hazing: When Rites Become Wrongs, Sons of the Dawn: A Basque Odyssey, The Hazing Reader, Wrongs of Passage: Fraternities, Sororities, Hazing, and Binge Drinking, High School Hazing: When Rites Become Wrongs, and The Legend of Jesse Owens.