Chanel Miller's 'Emily Doe' memoir is beautiful, but it shouldn't have to be.
, which went viral after it was published on BuzzFeed, is steeped in an awareness of her expendable worth. “You were willing to go to any length to discredit me, invalidate me, and explain why it was okay to hurt me. You tried unyieldingly to save yourself, your reputation, at my expense,” it read., in which she writes about her experience of the 2016 case, reads like a preemptive strike against those who would discredit her.
The book paints a clear picture of who Miller was—a shy child, a protective older sister, an excited new member of the workforce—before Turner assaulted her at a Stanford frat party when she was 22, turning her into a survivor who would spend the next four years fighting to be heard in court. As blurry and painful as Miller’s story of assault is, she still manages to wrest control of her narrative. Her prose is relatable and effective; her comedic gift, honed at stand-up shows in Philadelphia after the assault, is clear even within a dark tale; her use of metaphor, such as a repeated reference to putting her memory of the night “inside a large jar” and “carr[ying] it down, down, down,” is crystal clear.
None of that feels quite like the point, though. If Miller weren’t such a skilled writer, would that be a mark against her? Make her less credible, less worthy of our attention? Do survivors like Miller deserve to have sympathy parceled out to them based on how fluidly they relate their trauma? Much of Miller’s memoir focuses on how hard survivors of sexual assault have to struggle just to be listened to. While Turner’s youth and intoxication are presented by his defense team as marks in his favor, Miller’s own history is weaponized against her. She’s expected to be faultless, beyond reproach, even as the man who chose to sexually assault her non-consenting body in front of a dumpster is redeemed by his fast swim times and so-called bright future.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Chanel Miller On Why She Became 'Emily Doe' During Stanford Sexual Assault CaseWe now know that 27-year-old Chanel Miller is Emily Doe, the anonymous woman at the center of the Stanford sexual assault case, whose powerful victim impact statement directed at Brock Turner went viral. Miller revealed her identity earlier this month in advance of the release of Know My Name, her memoir focusing on her assault, and in a new interview with The New York Times she talks about why she stayed anonymous as Emily Doe during the case.
Read more »
The Ballerinas Wore Chanel on the Stage of the Paris Opera Ballet’s Opening NightThe Paris Opera Ballet’s opening night brought together a prestigious and elegant roster of international luminaries who gathered to watch performances from five choreographers.
Read more »
Coco Austin Posts Photos of Her Breastfeeding Nearly 4-Year-Old ChanelThe 40-year-old model shares Chanel with her husband, Ice-T.
Read more »
Chanel Miller, survivor in Brock Turner rape case, speaks about assault in first interviewChanel Miller, the woman Brock Turner sexually assaulted, said in an interview aired Sunday that messages from survivors helped heal her shame.
Read more »
Margaret Qualley Celebrates Her First Emmy Nod in Chanel Haute CoutureFirst-time nominee Margaret Qualley shares how she was primped, pampered and dressed in couture by a talented team from Chanel for the Emmys.
Read more »