By holding a candlelight vigil in remembrance of Pandey at 8 p.m. Thursday at the rock on Farm Lane, Sigma Sigma Rho and the Coalition of Indian Undergraduate Students, or CIUS, hope to raise awareness not only of Pandey’s story, but of domestic violence as a global issue that affects people across the globe.

“My initial thought was — I don’t even know how to say it.,” Jafferany said, reflecting on what happened to Pandey. “I was shocked and (my) mind (was) blown. How could someone go to that level?”

In 2011, 24,206 rapes were recorded in India, a rate that has escalated 875 percent in the past 40 years, according to a CNN report.

The report cited 572 rapes in New Delhi alone.

“Things like that aren’t OK, even if it’s halfway across the world,” said Akshaya Raghu, events coordinator for CIUS. “We have students from all ethnicities (at MSU). It’s about humanity coming together.”

Shortly after Pandey’s murder was publicized, A. Sean Pue, an assistant professor of South Asian literature, also responded to the incident when he hosted a panel discussion with professors from various fields. The panel was meant to bring attention to the commonality and severity of cases, such as Pandey’s.

“(This issue is) not limited to India by any means,” Pue said. “There’s a global need to address domestic and sexual violence.”

Although Jafferany and Raghu both said they feel safe walking home alone on MSU’s campus at night, they said this issue still can hit close to home for many students who have experienced fear of harassment.

“I know that people in India get harassed a lot, and it’s something they grow up with,” Raghu said. “(They say) it’s OK, and it shouldn’t be. It shouldn’t take something this horrifying to (bring sexual assault) into the forefront.”