Know My Name

Chanel Miller's memoir, Know My Name, is one of the most powerful memoirs that I've read in a long time, if ever. You may not know Chanel Miller's name because after she was sexually assaulted by Stanford University student, Brock Turner, she was known as "Emily Doe." Besides being a story of strength told by a very gifted writer, it's a story of a criminal justice system that doesn't work for victims of sexual assault. 

I don't want to go into much of the story. It was in the news for over a year, a young man of privilege who seemed to get away with an on-campus attack, even though the case was pretty cut and dry, and he was convicted on three charges. "Emily Doe's" victim impact statement was posted on BuzzFeed where it went viral.

This memoir deals with the journey of the victim as she takes back her own name and tries to reclaim her own identity. There was much talk at the time about what Brock Turner had lost. But what about Chanel Miller? What did she lose? What were the long-term ramifications on her life? What is it like to be the victim? And what is it like to be a survivor?

Additionally, what did Chanel Miller want from the criminal justice system, from Brock Turner, and from Stanford University?

I highly encourage everyone one to read this.