Crime and Justice Atlas

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Offense

Hazing

Acts Causing or Intending Harm to the Person

Conduct required of, or inflicted upon, a person joining or affiliating with a group, such as a fraternity, sorority, sports team or military unit, as a condition of membership, ranging from humiliating or demeaning tasks to physically dangerous or violent acts, forced alcohol consumption, and sleep deprivation. A substantial number of countries, and within the United States the great majority of individual states, have enacted a specific criminal statute against hazing, generally after a documented case involving a student or recruit's serious injury or death, because existing assault and battery statutes often failed to reach hazing conduct carried out with the ostensible consent of the person being hazed.

Facts
Classification Code
Ragging is a criminal offense in Sri Lanka under the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act, No. 20 of 1998 1
Elements of Offense
An act that humiliates, degrades, abuses or endangers a person, regardless of willingness, expected of them when joining or participating in a group 1
Notable Example
The Philippines' Anti-Hazing Act of 1995 was enacted after the death of Leonardo Villa in 1991 1
Jurisdiction Variation
The Netherlands has no anti-hazing legislation; incidents are handled internally or, in the criminal system, as assault or manslaughter 1
Classification
Offense Grade
Minor or Summary Offense 1
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Hazing (Wikipedia)
  • Ragging in South Asia section
    ragging is a criminal offense in Sri Lanka under the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act, No. 20 of 1998, and carries a severe punishment
  • Lead section, opening definition
    an act that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers a person, regardless of their willingness to participate, the enduring of which is expected of them when joining or participating in a group.
  • Philippines section
    Hazing was regulated under the Anti-Hazing Act of 1995 after the death of Leonardo Villa in 1991.
  • Netherlands section
    The Netherlands has no anti-hazing legislation. Hazing incidents can be handled by internal resolution by the fraternity itself (in the lightest cases) or via the criminal justice system as assault or, in case of death, negligent homicide or manslaughter.
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