What will I learn about: the three distinct stages of emotional reaction to sexual assault, which begin with numbness and shock before evolving into long-term exhaustion and depression?

Discover the three distinct stages of emotional reaction to sexual assault, which begin with numbness and shock before evolving into long-term exhaustion and depression.

What will I learn about: why choosing to press charges is a crucial step in reclaiming power, as remaining silent can feel like resigning to the attacker's actions?

Understand why choosing to press charges is a crucial step in reclaiming power, as remaining silent can feel like resigning to the attacker's actions.

What will I learn about: Learn how creating a separate legal persona, such as the pseudonym Emily Doe, can help trauma survivors compartmentalize an overwhelming burden and protect their everyday lives from public scrutiny?

Learn how creating a separate legal persona, such as the pseudonym Emily Doe, can help trauma survivors compartmentalize an overwhelming burden and protect their everyday lives from public scrutiny.

What will I learn about: Uncover the harsh reality of systemic victim-blaming, where the media and society often unfairly prioritize an attacker's future potential over a survivor's profound trauma?

Uncover the harsh reality of systemic victim-blaming, where the media and society often unfairly prioritize an attacker's future potential over a survivor's profound trauma.

What will I learn about: why leaning on a strong support system of loved ones is essential to surviving an invasive, multi-year legal battle that unfairly demands survivors act like the 'perfect victim'?

Find out why leaning on a strong support system of loved ones is essential to surviving an invasive, multi-year legal battle that unfairly demands survivors act like the 'perfect victim'.

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Know My Name

A Memoir

Chanel Miller

★ 4.6 / 5(35 ratings)

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Categories:

Biography & Memoir

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡What drives a survivor of sexual assault to share their story with the world, and what can we learn from their courage?
💡Are you curious about the hidden biases in the court system that can affect the outcome of sexual assault cases?
💡What if you could turn a traumatic experience into a powerful tool for change and empowerment?

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Key Takeaways from Know My Name

✓Discover the three distinct stages of emotional reaction to sexual assault, which begin with numbness and shock before evolving into long-term exhaustion and depression.
✓Understand why choosing to press charges is a crucial step in reclaiming power, as remaining silent can feel like resigning to the attacker's actions.
✓Learn how creating a separate legal persona, such as the pseudonym Emily Doe, can help trauma survivors compartmentalize an overwhelming burden and protect their everyday lives from public scrutiny.
✓Uncover the harsh reality of systemic victim-blaming, where the media and society often unfairly prioritize an attacker's future potential over a survivor's profound trauma.
✓Find out why leaning on a strong support system of loved ones is essential to surviving an invasive, multi-year legal battle that unfairly demands survivors act like the 'perfect victim'.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Know My Name

Mind Map

Know My Name

The Assault & Discovery+

Media & Public Perception+

The Legal Battle+

Institutional Betrayal+

The Victim Impact Statement+

Trauma & Healing+

Activism & Systemic Change+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8

How did Chanel Miller first learn the specific details of her sexual assault?

A. Through a detailed report provided by the police detectives the morning after.
B. By reading a news article online over a week after the incident occurred.
C. From the two Swedish students who intervened and chased down her attacker.
D. During the initial court hearing for Brock Turner.

Question 2 of 8

How did the media primarily portray Brock Turner and Chanel Miller in the immediate aftermath of the assault?

A. Both were portrayed as unfortunate victims of a toxic college drinking culture.
B. Turner was depicted as a dangerous predator, while Miller was heavily shielded from any public scrutiny.
C. Turner was humanized with glowing character references and athletic achievements, while Miller was reduced to graphic descriptions of her unconscious body.
D. The media focused strictly on the legal facts of the case, avoiding any personal descriptions of either individual.

Question 3 of 8

Why did Chanel initially hide the truth about her sexual assault from her parents?

A. She feared they would blame her for attending a college fraternity party after she had already graduated.
B. She was instructed by the police and her legal team to maintain absolute secrecy to protect the trial.
C. She felt a strong impulse to protect them from upsetting information, much like they had protected her from sad news during her childhood.
D. She wanted to wait until Brock Turner was officially found guilty before causing them any distress.

Question 4 of 8

During the trial, what strategy did Brock Turner's defense team heavily rely on to undermine Chanel's credibility?

A. They argued that the two Swedish students had misidentified Turner in the dark.
B. They focused on Chanel's history of drinking, even hiring an expert to testify that she could still give consent while intoxicated.
C. They claimed that Chanel was attempting to extort money from Turner's wealthy family.
D. They presented video evidence that contradicted Chanel's timeline of the evening.

Question 5 of 8

Despite the jury's unanimous guilty verdict, why did Judge Aaron Persky sentence Brock Turner to only six months in county jail?

A. The prosecution failed to provide enough physical evidence to warrant a longer sentence.
B. Chanel's victim impact statement explicitly asked the judge to give Turner the minimum possible sentence.
C. He believed that a longer prison sentence would be too harmful to Turner's future and sympathized with the media scrutiny Turner faced.
D. California state law at the time mandated a maximum of six months for first-time offenders.

Question 6 of 8

What was the immediate result of Chanel Miller's victim impact statement being published by Buzzfeed?

A. It went viral, shifting public sentiment to overwhelming support and prompting responses from prominent politicians.
B. It caused the judge to immediately overturn his lenient sentencing decision.
C. It led to Stanford University issuing a formal public apology and changing its campus policies.
D. It resulted in a severe backlash from readers who continued to blame her for the assault.

Question 7 of 8

Besides the support of her family and boyfriend, what unexpected outlet helped Chanel reclaim her voice and find a sense of empowerment during her healing process?

A. Writing a weekly column for the New York Times.
B. Performing stand-up comedy and taking printmaking classes.
C. Traveling the country giving motivational speeches at universities.
D. Confronting Brock Turner in a restorative justice mediation session.

Question 8 of 8

As Chanel's perspective shifted from personal struggle to political activism, what core realization did she have about society's treatment of rape victims?

A. She realized that the legal system is adequately equipped to handle sexual assault, but the media is the sole problem.
B. She recognized that unlike victims of other crimes, such as car hijackings, rape victims are unfairly tasked with the responsibility of preventing their own assaults.
C. She concluded that true justice can only be achieved through civil lawsuits rather than criminal trials.
D. She determined that mandatory minimum sentences actually harm the rehabilitation process for sexual offenders.

Know My Name — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
21 — Chanel Miller learned the details of her sexual assault from a news report more than a week later.
32 — As the article about her rape spread, readers appeared to blame Chanel for her own assault.
43 — Because so few people knew she was the victim, Chanel began living an isolated double life.
54 — Pursuing justice in court was traumatic and made Chanel feel violated again.
65 — The jury delivered justice, but Chanel was failed by the judge who sentenced Brock Turner.
76 — When Chanel’s victim impact statement went viral, she discovered how much public support she had.
87 — The assault left lasting psychological effects that Chanel still struggles with.
98 — Healing from the assault remains an ongoing process.
109 — Chanel began to understand her struggle as political, not just personal.
1110 — Final summary

Know My Name Summary & Overview

In Know My Name (2019), Chanel Miller presents her side of what happened when she was sexually assaulted by Stanford student Brock Turner and forced to endure a long and traumatizing trial in the public eye. Drawing parallels between her own experience and the structural mistreatment of women in the court system, she explains what made her determined to share her story and empower other survivors.

Who Should Listen to Know My Name?

People who want to learn more about the experience of sexual assault survivors in the US court system
Memoir-lovers who want to be inspired by the story of a remarkable woman
Activists who want inspiration for effecting political change

About the Author: Chanel Miller

Chanel Miller is an artist and writer living in San Francisco. She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, graduating with a degree in literature. The “victim statement” she wrote to explain the impact that Brock Turner’s sexual assault has had on her life was published by Buzzfeed and has been read over 18 million times. Know My Name is Miller’s first book.