She was publicly known as Emily Doe, the sexual assault victim whose legal case made worldwide headlines in 2015. What she hoped would be an enjoyable night out with her sister, became a night that changed her perception of self and her life forever. She had been sexually assaulted and found half-naked and unconscious behind a dumpster at Stanford University. Her assailant was identified as Brock Taylor, a talented white male swimmer who had aspirations for the Olympics.
In 2016 at the sentencing, she courageously read her victim impact statement directly to her abuser. Opening with “You don’t know me, but you’ve been inside me, and that’s why we’re here today,” she said of the violent invasion she endured and the trauma she suffered as a result. When the statement was posted on Buzzfeed, it went viral instantly with over 11 million shares in just four days.
To add insult to injury, Taylor received a sentence of just six months in jail, though prosecutors had requested six years. The light sentence provoked national outrage and controversy, leaving Miller feeling invalidated and humiliated. For a crime so dehumanizing, the judge showed more concern about the impact it would have on Taylor’s life and treated him as if he were the victim.
For four years she remained anonymous and in the shadows following the devastating event. In 2019, Chanel Miller reveals her identity and reclaims her story in her book Know My Name. Blended with remarkable writing, humor, and transparent honesty, Miller provides a detailed experience of her intersecting lives as both Emily Doe and Chanel Miller.
