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 more than $2.3 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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