Hank Nuwer, Author; Hazing Deaths Database

Lemuel Martinez focuses on sexual aspect of crime, not hazing, he says.

Here is the link to the University of Virginia Cavalier

Excerpt:

At about 2:15 a.m. March 1, 2011, a first-year College student arrived at Martha Jefferson Hospital seizing and foaming at the mouth. He was later transported to the intensive care ward at the University Medical Center, where he was treated for an electrolyte imbalance in his blood. According to court documents, the student — a Zeta Psi pledge — had consumed an entire bottle of soy sauce at the Zeta Psi house before being brought to the hospital. He was released from the hospital four days later.

The fate of Zeta Psi members involved in the incident continues to hang in the balance, as an investigation by University Police and administration to determine whether hazing was involved is still ongoing.

The National Hazing Prevention Week Essay Contest honored individuals whose personal essay best answered the question “What would you do if you encountered hazing?” The North-American Interfraternity Conference awarded cash prizes to the top three essayists. First place was awarded to Savannah Jackson of Destiny Christian School in Norman, Oklahoma, who compared hazing to bullying and saidshe would report hazing to authorities. The second place award winner chose to remain anonymous. Third place was awarded to Nicole Donaldson of Culver City High School in Culver City, California. In her essay, Donaldson discussed hazing myths and said if she encountered hazing, she would refuse to participate and would not join the organization.

Here is the story link

Excerpt:

“If you want to improve women’s lives on campus, if you want to give them a fair shot at living and learning as freely as men, the first thing you could do is close down the fraternities,” Caitlin Flanagan wrote. “The Yale complaint may finally do what no amount of female outrage and violation has accomplished. It just might shut them down for good.”

The North-American Interfraternity Conference responded with a letter to the editor, describing Flanagan’s column as extreme. “We understand the means to an end for promotions and publicity. But to disparage an entire institution is unacceptable, particularly for those who carry forward the best behavior, honors and upstanding demeanor that are usually under reported and overlooked.” The letter had not been published as of Thursday evening.

NIC President Peter Smithhisler reinforced his skepticism in an interview with Inside Higher Ed. “I think the goal was to be provocative and outrageous, but I don’t think that’s helpful in an issue that’s facing society and higher education as a whole,” he said, referring to sexual assault in Greek life. “I don’t want the impression that we support any of these negative activities, because we certainly don’t. The incongruence between values and actions is stressful to me. But I don’t think that it’s fair to create broad strokes against all fraternity activities.”

Here is the link to the review. The incident alleged by a book author occurred in 1984.

Excerpt:

In the fall of 1984, a 17-year-old freshman at the University of Virginia named Liz Seccuro was invited to a fraternity party. While there, she was given a tour of the historic house and offered a cup of the dark green cocktail that was its specialty. Within minutes she was incapacitated. She was carried into a bedroom and raped. She woke up wrapped in a bloody sheet (she had been a virgin) and watched as the rapist coldly packed his backpack and told her, “You ought to get out of here before someone sees you.”

Alone, bruised and bleeding, she walked to the emergency room, waited for hours, was sent to Student Health and began a weeks-long ordeal. One school official suggested she take some time off or perhaps transfer. Many doubted her story. She realized she had no real hope for justice, and so she gave up trying to find it.

But 20 years later, something remarkable happened: Her rapist, who had joined Alcoholics Anonymous, sent her a letter of apology—or, as Liz came to see it, a handwritten confession. The story of his prosecution and ultimate imprisonment is detailed in her riveting new book, “Crash Into Me,” which includes a horrifying revelation. She learned during the discovery process of the trial that she had been gang raped.