Degree Name
Master of Science
Graduate Program
Mass Communication and Media Arts
Advisor
Freivogel, William
Abstract
On January 18, 2015, Stanford University student-athlete Brock Turner sexually assaulted an unconscious woman outside a university fraternity house. Brock Turner was found guilty of three felonies, including assault with intent to rape. At his sentencing on June 2, 2016, the survivor of this assault read a 7,000-word victim impact statement describing the effect of the assault on her life. At the time, she was an unnamed victim known as Emily Doe. However, in September 2019, Chanel Miller reclaimed her identity as the author of that statement. She shared her story for the first time before the release of her memoir, Know My Name.
This article is a work of literary journalism exploring two sexual violence survivor perspectives, Chanel Miller’s and my own, to provide experiential insight into a sensitive topic. In support of the reclamation of Chanel Miller’s identity, her full name is used throughout the entirety of this article. In addition, Chanel Miller’s published experience with sexual violence is referenced to highlight the instances in which media best practices failed her as a victim of sexual violence. This multimedia article is a resource with embedded links to guide a better understanding of this complex matter. It also serves as a call to action for media professionals to make corresponding accommodations to best practices.