The purpose of the Report and Educate About Campus Hazing Act (REACH) is to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education to disclose hazing incidents. [S. 744, H.R. 2525]. Laws addressing hazing on campuses are inconsistent from state to state and will benefit from standardization on the federal level. Most importantly, the REACH Act supports the prevention of hazing incidents causing harm to students. This is a core principle of ZeroNow's mission.
The REACH Act legislation will:
- Shift societal norms and structures that contribute to campus environments where hazing is more likely to occur.
- Provide the public with more reliable information about hazing incidents and trends at an institution and nationwide.
- Support colleges and universities in taking an evidence-based approach to campus hazing prevention.
- Keep students safe.
Hazing occurs at colleges and universities across the country, with around 1.5 million students affected each year. Over 50% of students involved in Greek life, teams, and clubs will experience hazing at some point in their college career. In the past decade, average hazing deaths have slowly increased- from one death per year to almost five deaths per year in 2018.
The lack of consistent legislation preventing hazing in colleges and universities leads to the normalization of hazing culture, which will inevitably lead to more deaths and lasting emotional damage to students across the U.S.. Much of the “initiation” process in Greek life leans on a culture of humiliating and belittling students seeking to gain membership.
To learn more about the REACH Act and to support this legislation, visit StopHazing.org.
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