Is there a law against hazing?
The state of Ohio does have a law addressing hazing. It states:
The State of Ohio's Hazing Law is set forth in Section 2307.44 of the
Ohio Revised Code. Any person who is subjected to hazing, as defined in division (A) of
Section 2903.31 of the Revise Code, may commence a civil action for injury or damages,
including mental and physical pain and suffering, that result from the hazing. The action
may be brought against any participants in the hazing, any organization whose local or
national directors, trustees, or officers authorized, requested, commanded, or tolerated
the hazing. If the hazing involves students in a primary, secondary, or post-secondary
school, university, college, or any other educational institution, an action may also be
brought against any administrator, employee, or faculty member of the school, university,
college, or other educational institution. If an administrator, employee, or faculty
member is found liable in a civil action for hazing, then notwithstanding Chapter 2743 of
the Revised Code, the school, university, college, or other educational institution that
employed the administrator, employee, or faculty member may also be held liable. The
negligence or consent of the plaintiff or any assumption of the risk by the plaintiff is
not a defense to an action brought pursuant to this section. In an action against a
school, university, college, or other educational institution, it is an affirmative
defense that the school, university, college or other institution was actively enforcing a
policy against hazing at the time the cause of action arose.
Section 2903.31
(A) As
used in this section, "hazing" means doing any act or coercing another,
including the victim, to do any act of initiation into any student or other organization
that causes or creates a substantial risk of causing mental or physical harm to any
person.
(B)
(1) No person shall recklessly participate in the hazing of another.
(2) No administrator, employee, or faculty member of any primary, secondary, or
post-secondary school or of any other educational institution, public or private, shall
recklessly permit the hazing of any person.
No administrator, employee, or faculty member
of any primary, secondary, or post-secondary school or of any other educational
institution, public or private, shall recklessly permit the hazing of any person. |