ISU students will take the stand tonight against sexual assault and violence.

Thomas Fawcett, vice president of 33 Percent, a sexual assault awareness group, is one of the actors for the trial sponsored by the Story County Sexual Assault Response Team. The trial is scheduled for tonight at 6:30 in the auditorium of Molecular Biology, and it’s one of several events planned in April for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Fawcett, freshman in aerospace engineering, with other students and city officials, volunteered to participate in the mock trial to raise awareness about sexual assault. He said he will play the defendant in a rape trial.

Despite the challenging role, Fawcett said he hoped the mock trial will evoke emotion from the audience.

“If people have a better understanding of what sexual assault is, they can help someone who is going through it,” he said. “Someday they might have to give a friend or a sister the support they need. This will get the awareness out there.”

The trial is a different approach to spreading awareness, Fawcett said. Rather than “the typical speaker,” a judge, practicing attorneys and audience participation will make the event more exciting to watch, he said.

“It will be an interactive and interesting activity for everyone,” said Julie Harders, SART coordinator.

Harders said she thinks the mock trial is a better way to raise awareness than simply having someone speak about it.

“The purpose of the mock trial is to talk about what is sexual assault and what isn’t,” Harders said. “I don’t think a lot of people know [what] the law actually says about sexual assault.”

Potential jury members will be selected from the audience and will be questioned much like a jury in a real trial. Twelve people will be chosen to serve on the jury.

Andrea Gunning, junior in psychology, will play the role of the sexual assault victim, and Angelina Smith of the Story County Attorney’s Office will participate as the prosecuting attorney for the case. After jury members are selected, Gunning will testify that she was the victim of sexual assault. Ron Sotak, a private-practice attorney from Ames, will defend Fawcett.

After each side of the court presents its case, jury members will be sent to deliberate in another room. Harders said during this time audience members will be able to discuss the trial and ask questions.

Anyone can attend the mock trial, which is free and open to the public, she said, and it will be a great opportunity for anyone interested in the criminal justice system or involved in ending violence.