*this post contains discussion about the topic of rape*
Hi everyone!
Recently over spring break I finished the memoir that has taken everyone by storm since its release date in September of 2019. This is one of the most powerful and impactful books I have ever read and since finishing I have recommended it to so many people. I think that everyone should pick up this novel and give it a chance as the story inside it is so unbelievably powerful.
Know My Name is about the survivor of the Stanford rape case involving Brock Turner that took place in January of 2015 and her story of reclaiming her own name and her own story.
In 2015, after the rape had happened and it was made public, Chanel made the decision to remain anonymous and was therefore given the name Emily Doe, and or four years only those closest to her knew the truth about Emily Doe.
In Know My Name Chanel perfectly combs through the strenuous and heart-breakingly long process of getting a rape trial through the court system and the process of reliving the trauma and the dehumanization of the court systems way of dealing with such trials. And not only does she write about so many difficult things, but she also does so in a way that is so beautiful and elegant making connections to survivors of police brutality acknowledging the devastating number of people who have had to endure similar things.
Miller takes the reader through her mind back through the past four years and everything she has had to endure because of that one horrible night in January of 2015. Miller allows the reader to feel with her as she recounts the horrible events of that night and the trauma that she has to deal with for the rest of her life.
While it is a very heavy topic, I think Miller does a fantastic job at opening up the conversation and spreading the word that your story matters and you are not alone in what you are feeling no matter how much it might feel like you are. Miller shares her powerful story to reclaim her name and to acknowledge the fact that this is not an infrequent thing, situations like Chanel Miller’s happen to way too many people and something needs to be done about it.
By writing her book and reclaiming her name, Chanel brings such an important story to the table and I really think that everyone should check it out if they have the chance!