Recent incidents of crime have sparked furor among Penn's student body, but violence hits hard beyond the confines of campus -- as the National Week of Student Action strives to point out.
NWSA, recognized on campus for the first time this year, is an amalgamation of all Amnesty International student groups across the nation.
Based in London, Amnesty International is a grassroots human rights organization dedicated to upholding the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
"The issue that we're focusing on for this year is violence against women," Amnesty International at the University of Pennsylvania Head Coordinator and Wharton junior Visalakshi Venugopal said.
Coinciding with Penn's launch of Women's Week, Amnesty at Penn members have thrown their full support behind student organizations championing related causes, such as Take Back the Night and Women In Thought.
With a particular focus on the murder and sexual abuse of women in Juarez, Mexico, Amnesty at Penn plans to screen several movies in a bid to raise awareness.
One of these movies, Senorita Extraviada, sheds light on the violence committed against these women.
"I think that the concept of human rights ... is fundamental, and that it's very important for our future," said College junior Amber Thornhill, the Amnesty at Penn public relations and advertising chairwoman. "It's a real shame that a government such as Mexico's is paying such little attention to such a horrendous string of crimes."
Other movies included Fire -- concerning two Indian lesbians and the obstacles they faced in an intolerant society -- which attracted about 15 people Sunday night.
Venugopal expects The Magdalene Sisters -- a story about violence against women in Catholic Ireland -- to draw a much larger crowd Friday afternoon at Gregory College House.
In addition to raising awareness, Amnesty at Penn members said they also have a more action-oriented mandate this week.
"All week we'll be tabling on [Locust] Walk to get people to sign letters and petitions to send to [the Mexican government and West Philadelphia's House representative] in order to stop violence against women," Venugopal said.
Other events that Amnesty at Penn will be co-sponsoring during NWSA include activities ranging from self-defense classes to discussions on various international human rights issues related to women.
"We're going to have people [who] are passionate about stopping violence against women," Venugopal said.
"People can take very simple actions just by signing a letter or petition and make a huge difference in stopping violence against women," Venugopal continued, noting that those who sign a petition or letter at Amnesty at Penn's table this week will receive an orange pin as a symbol of their support for the women of Juarez.
Thornhill similarly encouraged students to take action.
"I feel like it's our responsibility as global citizens to help safeguard the rights of others," Thornhill said.
