Kristen Anne Murphy, a sophomore at the University of Florida and Miss Florida Gator 2005, will compete in the Miss Florida Pageant in June and share her platform, "Breaking Vows of Silence: Eliminating Hazing Everywhere." Having seen friends suffer from sleep deprivation, humiliation, and physically harmful actions during hazing activities, Kristen decided to make eliminating hazing her main focus. Kristen has committed herself to exposing hazing, a demoralizing and hurtful practice, at the local and state levels. With the help of Florida House Representative Cretul and Florida House Representative Hasner, Kristen traveled to Tallahassee where she spoke before the Justice Council about an anti-hazing bill. Currently in Florida, it is the responsibility of universities and other organizations to punish members for inappropriate behavior, like hazing. Representative Hasner's bill, which is also sponsored by Florida Senator Campbell, would make hazing a crime under Florida law. After Kristen spoke before the Justice Council that unanimously passed the bill, the House of Representatives and Senate also voted in favor of the bill. Kristen sincerely hopes that her efforts in the state of Florida can expand into a nationwide program to stop hazing. Read more...