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Hazing is an issue that plagues Greek Life at college campuses across the country. Recent high-profile cases of hazing incidents have brought the issue to the forefront of national conversations about student safety, well-being, and rights. Lawmakers have so far struggled to adequately address the issue, but lawsuits brought by victims of hazing and their families have been the vanguard in the process to combat the problem. The recent lawsuit filed by Benjamin Jaxson Lovelace IV and his parents against the College of Charleston, The Sigma Chi Fraternity, and several of its members marks an inflection point in the ongoing battle against hazing in American universities. This case, highlighting allegations of physical abuse, forced consumption of substances, and psychological harm, underscores a critical issue facing educational institutions: the urgent need to address and prevent hazing. Legal means to address hazing not only provide victims restitution, but work to expose broader societal failures to eradicate the problem. The proliferation of hazing lawsuits puts pressure on universities and lawmakers to formulate policies to effectively dismantle the issue.

Hazing is a practice steeped in tradition for some organizations, long been justified under the guise of building loyalty and “brotherhood.” While some smaller institutions have clamped down on conduct within their Greek life organizations, larger colleges and universities face a much harder challenge to monitor potential hazing incidents that occur in private settings. The College of Charleston has eleven nationally recognized fraternities on its campus, many of which have dealt with hazing allegations in the past. In 2017, five College of Charleston fraternities were shut down within a single year for hazing. 

Benjamin Jaxson Lovelace IV, who goes by Jaxson, had excitedly planned to rush a fraternity from the start of his college career. Quickly, though, Lovelace and his fellow pledges became subject to physical and emotional abuse considered to be routine for hazing. The multifaceted abuse began immediately– the day after the boys received their formal bids to join the Sigma Chi fraternity, the group of pledges were lined up and struck with beer cans as well as food and cleaning products. Lovelace left the fraternity house that day with a black eye. 

As the pledging process continued, the abuse only worsened. On multiple occasions, Jaxson was forced to binge drink and smoke until vomiting. He and other pledges were “on call” for sixteen hours daily, meaning readily available to complete tasks for brothers of the frat. These tasks could be anything from cleaning the house to buying alcohol. Many times, pledges were forced to use substances while completing tasks, meaning drugs and alcohol were being consumed regularly during school hours. On one occasion, the pledges were called to the house at the same time that Jaxson was told to complete a task of buying alcohol for a brother. In fear of being late to the house, he did not complete the task, leading to what Jaxson considers the worst abuse he faced during his time with Sigma Chi. Jaxson was forced to stand in a corner while repeatedly being struck with beer cans. He was then instructed to do cocaine and, upon refusing to, had a cap-gun shot just inches from his ear. The brothers then threw glass bottles at him, forcing him to clean up the shards and then yelling at him to lie down. Once he was on the floor, they doused him with varied liquids and kicked him in the abdomen, back, and sides. Jaxson repeatedly attempted to stand up unsuccessfully and was filmed continuously falling back down. 

The Lovelace family, including Jaxson, his mother Angela Lovelace, and father Benjamin Lovelace III, are now suing for $10 million in compensatory and punitive damages in the South Carolina Court of Common Pleas. The defendants of the case include five students and members of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, the Iota Epsilon chapter of Sigma Chi, the Sigma Chi International Fraternity, Inc., the College of Charleston, and a John Doe. One of the defendants, Benjamin Graham Locke, is listed in court documents as the fraternity’s “Magister.” According to Sigma Chi’s website, a magister is meant to “organize, manage, and supervise the many parts of the program [new member education].” Another defendant, Christopher Robert Furze, is listed as being the Iota Epsilon chapter’s “Risk Manager.” Evidently, the brothers who allegedly caused the most harm to Jaxson and other pledges held power positions that may have led them to believe they were above certain rules, whether those be the rules of the Sigma Chi International Fraternity Inc. or the College of Charleston. 

The lawsuit articulates a grave indictment of the College of Charleston and the Iota Epsilon Chapter of Sigma Chi fraternity, detailing three causes of action. Firstly, there was a failure by the College in taking proactive measures to safeguard pledges from harm, highlighting a systemic neglect of student welfare. Secondly, the lawsuit accuses the involved parties of “gross negligence,” indicating a severe disregard for the safety and well-being of others, suggesting that the fraternity and college’s actions, or lack thereof, went beyond mere oversight and entered the realm of reckless indifference. Lastly, the accusation of “negligent infliction of emotional distress” underscores the psychological toll exacted on Lovelace, asserting that the fraternity and college’s negligence directly contributed to severe emotional suffering. Together, these allegations paint a picture of a deeply flawed system that not only failed to protect its students but also inflicted significant harm on them.

The College of Charleston is not alone in facing scrutiny over hazing incidents. As of March 1, 2024, the University of Maryland has suspended all Greek Life from campus. The suspension came after multiple chapters were accused of “threatening the safety and well-being of members of the University community.” One of the most prominent hazing cases that brought national attention to the issue occurred in 2017 at Pennsylvania State University. Timothy Piazza died at nineteen while rushing the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity due to a hazing ritual involving the heavy consumption of alcohol. Piazza fell down a flight of stairs and was seriously injured, struggling to breathe and remain conscious. Despite the injuries sustained by Piazza being clearly severe, the brothers of the fraternity left Piazza to suffer for twelve hours. When medical professionals arrived the next morning, it was too late. Piazza’s death was a catalyst for the “Abolish Greek Life” movement, which has spread across the country and advocates for the removal of all fraternities and sororities from college campuses. Even with the passing of recent legislation like Adam’s Law and the REACH Act, hazing persists as a daunting aspect of centuries old fraternities and sororities nationwide.

The legal landscape surrounding hazing is complex and varies significantly by state, despite the widespread enactment of anti-hazing laws. The effectiveness of these laws, coupled with the specific circumstances of each incident, influences the outcome of related lawsuits. Yet, the ongoing prevalence of such behaviors, with three in five college students experiencing hazing, highlights a critical need for more robust preventive measures and legislative action.