In 2015, an “unconscious intoxicated woman” referred to as ‘Emily Doe’ was sexually assaulted at a party at Stanford University. Brock Turner, her attacker, tried to flee but was subsequently caught by two students. In 2016, a year after the assault, Turner was tried and convicted of three counts of felony sexual assault. At the sentencing hearing, ‘Emily’ delivered an extremely powerful victim impact statement that detailed the effect that the assault had on her confidence, her voice, and her life. Despite the ability to sentence Turner for up to 14 years in federal prison, Judge Aaron Persky sentenced Turner to a total of 6 months incarceration in a county jail. In the end, Turner only ended up serving 3 months behind bars. The sentencing decision was met with public outrage and campaigns to remove the judge proved successful. In 2018, Judge Persky was recalled by Santa Clara County voters. After years of anonymity ‘Emily Doe’ has revealed her identity. Her name is not “unconscious intoxicated woman,” her name is Chanel Miller.
Instructors, click on the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom.
The deck contains a writing prompt, a debate question, as well as other assessment questions.
Download PowerPoint LectureSpark for Woman Sexually Assaulted by Brock Turner Reveals Her Identity
- “Her name is Chanel Miller, not ‘unconscious intoxicated woman’ in Stanford assault case
- “Victim Of Brock Turner Sexual Assault Reveals Her Identity
- “After years of anonymity, the woman sexually assaulted by Brock Turner wants the world to know her name”
- “Stanford sexual assault: Chanel Miller reveals her identity”
Assessment
- Writing: How will Chanel Miller’s decision to reveal her identity impact other victims?
- Debate: Brock Turner’s sentence was too lenient.
- Poll: Do you believe that powerful institutions, such as universities, mishandle sexual violence?
- Short Answer: Why are victim impact statements important?
Current Events Quiz
1.) Brock Turner was found guilty of which of the following charges?
a.) sexually assaulting an intoxicated victim
b.) sexually assaulting an unconscious victim
c.) attempted rape
d.) all of these
2.) In newspapers, Chanel Miller was referred to as a
a.) “drunk girl.”
b.) “unconscious intoxicated woman.”
c.) “intoxicated female student.”
d.) “a drunk woman.”
3.) Which form of direct democracy was utilized to remove Judge Aaron Persky from the bench?
a.) recall
b.) initiative
c.) referendum
d.) amendment
- Chanel Miller’s victim impact statement encouraged sexual violence survivors to share their stories. (T/F)
- Brock Turner served his entire 6-month sentence for the crime that he committed. (T/F)
- A California state law now makes prison time mandatory for anyone convicted of sexually assaulting someone unconscious or too intoxicated to consent. (T/F)
Featured Image: Elvert Barnes/wikimediacommons