Hazing Remains an Issue in South Carolina
The high school and college years are a special time in a young person’s life. While there is plenty of studying and work to be done, it is also a time for developing friends and participating in groups and activities that often form the basis for future interests and hobbies. The life of a student is filled with the pressure to achieve, and students often engage in seemingly bizarre activities and rituals to blow off steam or to fit in with the crowd. Drinking games, practical jokes and stunts, and performing dangerous dares can all mean trouble for young people, and accidental injuries as the result of these activities can result in serious and potentially life threatening harm. Hazing continues to be a problem on many school campuses. If you are the parent of a school age child, the following is vital information you need to know about hazing, as well as the laws against hazing in the Palmetto State.
South Carolina Hazing Incidents
According to the national non-profit group HazingPrevention, org, hazing is any kind of action that results in embarrassment, humiliation, or physical or emotional abuse. Hazing takes place on sports teams, in clubs and planned activities, and in fraternities and sororities on campuses throughout the country, and more than half of students involved in campus activities report experiencing some sort of hazing from their peers and upperclassmen. In 2015, WMBF News reported an incident involving high school students attending a football camp near Columbia, where players were reported being beaten by teammates during a hazing ritual. In Charleston, the Citadel still grapples with controversy related to hazing incidents stemming back more than 20 years ago. The Post and Courier reports that the Citadel’s problems with hazing were covered nationally by Sports Illustrated magazine in the 90s and continue to be a factor with some parents today, while recent controversy involving photos of 14 cadets dressed in white hoods resembling the Klu Klux Klan resulted in punishments for the cadets involved and the resignation of the school’s coach.
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Laws Against Hazing In South Carolina
Under Section 59-101-200 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, hazing is defined as hitting, striking or laying hands on a student by another student in a position of power or superiority. Hazing involves behavior that is intimidating, shaming, humiliating or insulting, and can result in physical violence and injuries. Students who have been hazed may suffer long-term psychological damage as the result of the abuse, and physical injuries may include broken bones, muscle strains and sprain, and head injuries. Drinking games are a popular form of hazing, and alcohol poisoning as a result of these activities can result in serious injury and even death.
Let Us Help You Today
If you or a loved one has been injured in a hazing incident, contact Anastopoulo Law Firm. Our experienced South Carolina personal injury attorneys can advise you on how to hold responsible parties accountable for your injuries, and assist you in getting the compensation you deserve.
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