Divine Nine action guide • September 21–25, 2026
National Hazing Prevention Week 2026 gives chapters, advisors, campuses and families a timely reason to move beyond a policy reminder and practice what prevention actually looks like. The official theme is “Be the leader. Prevent hazing.”
When is National Hazing Prevention Week 2026?
The Hazing Prevention Network lists September 21–25, 2026 as the official week. Its purpose is to focus communities, institutions, teams and organizations on intentional education and discussion about preventing hazing. The network also makes clear that prevention work does not need to be confined to those five days.
The 2026 theme—“Be the leader. Prevent hazing.”—puts responsibility on every level of an organization. Leadership here is not limited to presidents, intake teams or advisors. It includes the member who interrupts a risky idea, the alumnus who refuses to romanticize harmful practices, and the prospective member who reports an unsafe demand.
What hazing can include
Hazing is not defined only by visible physical violence. Official policies from Alpha Kappa Alpha, Alpha Phi Alpha and Omega Psi Phi describe a wider range of prohibited behavior, including physical or mental harm, humiliation, intimidation, harassment and unauthorized activity before, during or after an approved membership process.
Physical risk
Forced exertion, sleep deprivation, unsafe consumption or any activity that threatens health and safety.
Humiliation and isolation
Ridicule, degrading tasks, intimidation, social exclusion or conduct designed to break someone down.
Coercive demands
Pressure involving money, labor, travel, personal property or obligations unrelated to an authorized process.
Secret extra requirements
Unofficial pre- or post-intake tests presented as necessary to prove loyalty, worthiness or belonging.
Consent does not turn prohibited conduct into an approved tradition. Power differences, fear of exclusion and pressure to prove commitment can make a nominal “choice” anything but free. Members should judge an activity by policy, safety and dignity—not by whether someone says they are willing to endure it.
What a safe intake culture looks like
A healthy membership process has no secret second layer. It follows the national organization’s sanctioned procedure and applicable campus rules; authorized advisors and leaders know what is happening; participants retain safety and dignity; and there is a clear path to raise concerns without retaliation.
That standard protects more than prospective members. It protects the chapter’s credibility, the organization’s mission and the relationships that should last long after initiation. Prevention is therefore not an attack on tradition. It is a way of separating meaningful tradition from conduct that contradicts scholarship, service, brotherhood, sisterhood and responsible leadership.
A five-day action plan for September 21–25
Monday: refresh the rules
Review the national organization’s anti-hazing policy and the campus policy side by side. Name the approved process, prohibited conduct and reporting routes. Do not rely on oral tradition or memory.
Tuesday: study a realistic scenario
Discuss a situation involving secrecy, pressure or a “small” unofficial task. Ask who has the power to stop it, what a bystander can say, and where the concern should be documented.
Wednesday: train together
Use an official webinar, film, case study or campus program. Hazing Prevention Network and StopHazing both maintain prevention resources that can support chapter and advisor conversations.
Thursday: rehearse reporting
Make the response route familiar before a crisis. Members should know the campus contact, the national organization’s reporting channel, when emergency services are appropriate, and how to preserve relevant details safely.
Friday: commit to alternatives
Identify the safe practices that actually build belonging—mentorship, service, history study, skill-building, shared meals, wellness check-ins and transparent chapter traditions.
How to report a hazing concern
If someone may be in immediate danger, contact emergency services first. For non-emergency concerns, follow the reporting channels published by the campus and the relevant national organization. The National Hazing Prevention Hotline also accepts anonymous calls around the clock at 1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293).
Write down dates, locations, people involved and what was observed or communicated, but do not put yourself at additional risk to gather proof. Avoid turning an urgent safety matter into rumor or public speculation; route it to people who can respond.
Frequently asked questions
Is National Hazing Prevention Week only for Greek-letter organizations?
No. Hazing Prevention Network frames the week for communities, institutions, organizations and individuals. Prevention applies to teams, bands, clubs and other groups as well as fraternities and sororities.
Does anti-hazing education erase Divine Nine traditions?
No. Prevention protects legitimate history, service, mentorship and ceremonial traditions by drawing a firm line against harmful or unauthorized conduct.
Can a person consent to hazing?
Organization policy may prohibit the conduct regardless of stated consent. Pressure, secrecy and fear of exclusion also complicate whether consent is genuinely free.
Where should a prospective member verify intake information?
Use the national organization’s official website and authorized local or campus contacts. Do not treat social-media messages, rumors or unofficial “pre-pledging” instructions as authority.
What can alumni do during NHPW?
Support advisors, reinforce official policy, fund prevention education and model traditions that do not depend on secrecy, intimidation or endurance tests.
Verified resources
Planning for the fall D9 calendar? See our 2026 Yardfest Atlanta guide and 2026 Boston Greek Picnic guide. For commemorative pieces, browse FratRings’ top-selling Divine Nine jewelry; product availability and licensing vary by organization.
Independent editorial disclaimer: FratRings is an independent educational publisher and retailer. This guide is not produced, sponsored or endorsed by Hazing Prevention Network, StopHazing, the National Pan-Hellenic Council, any Divine Nine organization or any university. Policies and campus procedures can change; always follow the current instructions of the relevant national organization and institution.
