Chanel Miller, the victim of rapist Brock Turner who has remained anonymous until now, is releasing a memoir detailing the infamous trial and her life since the assault.
Miller is releasing her memoir Know My Name on September 24. She speaks out about what happened the night of her encounter with Turner and the grueling process of going through a sexual assault case, especially while deciding to remain anonymous. The memoir allowed her to review witness testimonies and other court documents she had not previously had access to, shaping her own emotions and writing.
Miller’s famous anonymous statement in court sparked many conversations about sexual assault. Judge Persky, the judge on the case, was recalled by voters for being lenient on ruling due to claiming that a “prison sentence would have a severe impact on him.” The culture around sexual assault began to change more broadly with the Governor of California, Jerry Brown, signing mandatory minimum sentences for sexual assault into law and Stanford University creating a hard alcohol ban on campus.
Brock Turner, arrested with sexually assaulting Miller, was charged with rape, felony sexual assault, and attempted rape. He was later convicted of three counts of felony sexual assault. Turner faced up to fourteen years in prison, but prosecutors advised six years. He was sentenced to only six months, and released after serving only three months.
Miller had been out at a Stanford University fraternity party when she had consumed too much alcohol. She left the party and stopped behind a dumpster. It was there that Turner sexually assaulted Miller while she was unconscious. Two students came, saved Miller, and pinned down Turner until police came to arrest him.
Miller talks in her book about what happened that night, the process of reporting a rape, and her psychological trauma. Miller’s eloquent writing skills, evident in her anonymous impact statement, are said to be apparent in her memoir. Andrea Schulz, the editor of Miller’s book, talks about how Know My Name could “change the culture that we live in and the assumptions about what survivors should be expected to go through to get justice.”
Sources: CNN 9/5/19; CNN 9/2/16; NYT 9/4/19