Chanel Miller Breaks Her Silence
Her name isn’t Emily Doe.
For the first time since her 2015 rape rocked the nation, Chanel Miller is telling her story in her soon-to-be-released memoir, “Know My Name.”
According to publisher Penguin Random House, “Know My Name” allows Miller “to tell her story of trauma, transcendence, and the power of words” and “reclaim her identity.”
Miller remained anonymous during and following the trial of Stanford University rapist, student, and swimmer Brock Turner. The case made national news when Miller’s impact statement went viral and when Turner was handed a six-month sentence of which he only served a few weeks.
On January 18, 2015 at approximately 1 a.m., Brock Turner raped Miller behind a dumpster outside of Stanford University’s Kappa Alpha fraternity house.
Two passing bicyclists saw Turner “on top” of Miller’s exposed and unconscious body.
“Hey, she’s f—— unconscious!” one bicyclist yelled. Turner attempted to run away but was tackled and held by the bicyclists until the police arrived.
Once on the scene, first respondents noted that Miller’s dress was pulled up to her waist and her hair was disheveled and covered in pine needles. Law enforcement attempted to communicate with Miller, but she was still unconscious, not responding to a “shake and shout” technique or “physical pain stimulant,” and instead only vomited.
Miller, ultimately, did not regain consciousness until 4:15 a.m.
Turner was initially interested in Miller’s sister. But that night, after being rejected by her twice, Turner set his sights on the older Miller sister who was “alone and inebriated” according to court documents.
According to Turner, the two left the party where they then kissed. Turner told deputies that he “digitally penetrated” Miller for about five minutes but denies taking his pants off.
Miller’s impact statement received 11 million views in four days, after being posted by Buzzfeed. The powerful, 7,000-word statement started with: “You don’t know me, but you’ve been inside me, and that’s why we’re here today.”
Following the trial, Stanford University implemented a strict no hard liquor policy.
Turner received felony convictions for intent to commit rape of an intoxicated/unconscious person, penetration of an intoxicated person and penetration of an unconscious person. He is required to register as a sex offender and will remain on the registry for life. He received three years of probation and was forced to withdraw from Stanford and is barred from campus.
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky, a Stanford alum, voiced taking Turner’s age and criminal history into consideration and believed that the six-year sentence the prosecution wanted was too severe a punishment; a sentiment seemingly shared with Turner’s father who wrote that such a sentence would be “a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 years of life.”
Over 1 million people signed a Change.org petition to have Persky removed from the bench, but it wasn’t until 2018 that he was recalled by Californian voters.
Miller’s impact statement inspired thousands of women across the country to come forward with their stories of sexual assault. A “60 Minutes” episode with Miller is expected to air on September 22 and her memoir will be released September 24. The book is available for preorder.
