Sorority Sued Over Hazing That Ended in Pledge’s Suicide

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and its chapters at Northwestern University forced a pledge to endure paddling, sleep deprivation, verbal abuse, and other forms of hazing so severe it caused the woman to commit suicide, a new lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit filed Jan. 9 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois is the latest in a wave of cases alleging abuse by college and high school coaches, teachers, and classmates.

Recent and similar litigation includes claims that a high school football team sexually assaulted a teammate, that a former teacher at an elite prep school abused ...