This week Marshall University’s sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma, participated in National Hazing Prevention Week by trying to educating students on hazing prevention.

The members of Tri-Sigma participated in National Hazing Prevention Week by setting up a booth in the Memorial Student Center to teach students and faculty about hazing on college campuses.

Tri-Sigma was the 1st sorority in the nation to sign an anti-hazing contract and since then, the sorority has set out to educate people on the dangers of hazing.

“We believe in building our sisters up, not tearing them down,” said Amanda Rowe, sophomore Elementary Education student.

Hazing includes imposing tasks that are often deemed as humiliating, as part of the organization’s programs. These tasks typically involve physical work and different forms of initiation.

One of Tri-Sigma’s main goals of National Hazing Prevention week has been to show students that hazing is not just limited to Greek life.

“Even if you’re not Greek, hazing could still be happening on a sports team or in a club,” Rowe said. “Hazing can happen anywhere.”

Nine out of 10 students who have experienced hazing do not consider themselves to have been hazed.

“You may not think that it’s hazing but it could still make new members feel uncomfortable or any member of the sorority feel uncomfortable,” Rowe said.

Hazing can also include binge drinking, singing or chanting, or screaming and yelling among other activities.

Tri-Sigma handed out statistics on hazing on campus and talked to students about ways to recognize and prevent hazing in the future.

“A lot of people have heard bad things about the Greek community and don’t really focus on the good aspects of it,” Rowe said. “We want to show people that we love our sisters and take them in and we don’t want to put them down or make them feel unwelcome we want all of our new members to always feel welcomed.”

Riley Mahoney can be contacted at [email protected].