Chanel Miller, known as "Emily Doe" tells her story through her own memoir, "Know My Name," and will appear on "60 Minutes" on September 22. As a survivor myself, I have followed this story. From the initial charge to the sentencing and the sexist judge who gave him a break to now Miller coming forward to claim her identity.
That this woman has been referred to as "unconscious, intoxicated woman" for years while Brock Turner was only referred as "American Stanford swimmer" only proves that rape is culturally a norm in society.
I applaud Miller for coming forward telling her story. However, the fact that she was publicly ridiculed for years to where she could not come forward comfortably to tell her story during the sentencing only shows how pathetically embedded rape culture is. She has only heard victim-blaming, such as "Well, if she wasn't drunk, she wouldn't have been raped," or, "It was her fault for passing out behind a dumpster... by the way, what clothes was she wearing?"
In today's society, a rape survivor has to PROVE her identity, or else the media will construe it, and we all know that we all believe everything we see and hear.
So, here is to Chanel Miller — Not "unconscious victim of rape by Stanford swimmer" or "intoxicated woman sexually assaulted by All-American Brock Turner." Thank you for being an inspiration to all of us survivors and allies, and I look forward to reading and hearing YOUR story.
May your full name be known, and your truth be told.
