Kayla Ringler

Nancy O’Donnell

ENGW 101

15 November 2020

A Victim’s Letter to their Attacker Teaches and Heals

The stigma surrounding sexual assault causes many victims to stay silent. It takes a

survivor strength to confide in someone, let alone confront their attacker. Chanel Miller wrote a

powerful statement that she read directly to her attacker, star swimmer, Brock Turner, in court.

He sexually assaulted Miller at a fraternity party behind a dumpster, but two students saved her

by chasing and tackling Turner. Originally her statement was an anonymous letter published by

BuzzFeed News in the article, “Here's The Powerful Letter The Stanford Victim Read To Her

Attacker.” The story was introduced by editor Katie Baker and was published on June 3rd in

2016, about a year after the attack.

First, Miller describes her state of disbelief after the assault. When she spoke with an

officer, she was “assured he was speaking to the wrong person” not letting herself admit she’d

been attacked (Miller). Miller then closed off her feelings to her loved ones, only telling her

sister what happened to her, and she “pretended the whole thing wasn’t real” (Miller). When the

case went to trial, Miller felt like she was being “revictimized” by facing the questions posed by

Turner’s attorney. Furthermore, she described her disgust with the judicial system. Because of

Brock’s swimming reputation, he got a lesser sentence and spent less than a year behind bars.

Miller explained this as, “a mockery of the seriousness of his assaults, an insult to me and all

women” (Miller). Influential speaker, Chanel Miller wrote a letter to her attacker that strongly

argued the issues surrounding sexual assault through the use of character, emotions, and facts.
 Miller used statements that supported her character throughout her argument. In her

opening statement, she described her thoughts before the party. Her sister teased her for,

“wearing a beige cardigan to a frat party like a librarian” (Miller). Miller also called herself “big

mama” because she knew she would be the oldest one there. In her introduction, Miller stated

that she did not go to the party to meet men, but to spend time with her sister. She saved her most

powerful argument for last by adding a quote by Anne Lamott that stated, “Lighthouses don’t go

running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” Miller

addressed the women reading her statement by stating, “Although I can’t save every boat, I hope

that by speaking today, you absorbed a small amount of light. . .” (Miller). Using this quote

allowed Miller to relate her letter back to women reading everywhere, ultimately leaving a

lasting impression on the audience.

In addition to having used statements that supported Miller’s character, she also used

facts to support her argument. First, she began with the day the assault happened, January 17th,

2015. Providing context about the day the assault happened not only gave Miller credibility, it

also gave the audience a sense of how this could have happened to anyone. Miller’s evening

started as “a quiet Saturday night at home” but that night she was brutally sexually assaulted by a

man she did not even know (Miller). Miller also described the questions Turner’s attorney asked.

They dissected her personal life so she felt like she “was assaulted with questions” (Miller).

Questions like, “Are you serious with your boyfriend? Are you sexually active with him? When

did you start dating? Would you ever cheat? Do you have a history of cheating?” The intention

of those questions were to make the assault look like Miller’s fault. She described the attorney's

reason for such questions as, “her facts don’t line up, she’s out of her mind, she’s practically an

alcoholic, she probably wanted to hook up, he’s like an athlete right. . .” (Miller). Providing
examples of the questions she was asked, gave the audience insight on how seemingly simple

questions can tear a sexual assault victim apart. When she discussed Turner’s sentencing, Miller

stated that the probation officer recommended a year or less in county jail. She highlighted this

fact in her statement because having taken the case to trial required her to relive that horrific

night once again. Miller stated, “It gives the message that a stranger can be inside you without

proper consent and he will receive less than what has been defined as the minimum sentence”

(Miller). She clearly stated his punishment in her statement to back up her argument that sexual

assault is not taken seriously enough. Miller recounted statements that Turner made during his

statement, and clearly described why they are incorrect. She quoted six of his statements in her

argument, and refutes all of them. In her last and most powerful argument, Miller highlighted

Turner’s statement, “I want to show people that one night of drinking can ruin a life.” To which

Miller responded with, “ A life, one life, yours, you forgot about mine” (Miller). Taking the

defendant’s own words and twisting them to fit her argument made Turner look like more of a

horrible person to the audience.

Miller started her letter with an emotional statement, “You don’t know me, but you’ve

been inside me” (Miller). This shockingly true statement engaged the audience right away. This

statement put an uncomfortable image in the reader's mind, which was Miller’s intention; to

bring awareness to sexual assault. Miller learned the details of her own assault by having read an

article online while at work. At the bottom of the article were Turner’s swimming times. She

evoked anger toward Turner with her statement, “She was found breathing, unresponsive with

her underwear six inches away from her bare stomach curled in fetal position. By the way, he’s

really good at swimming” (Miller). The addition of his swimming talents detracted from the

severity of the sexual assault he committed. In an emotional comparison Miller illustrated that, “I
was the wounded antelope of the herd, completely alone and vulnerable, physically unable to

fend for myself, and he chose me” (Miller). Even if Miller would not have gone out that night,

this would have happened to someone else. This made the audience feel as if sexual assault was

inevitable and could have been one of them. In order to fix the issues surrounding sexual assault,

the audience must feel inclinded to put words into action. The vulnerability and transparency

Miller used in her argument persuaded the audience to actively repair their stereotypes

surrounding sexual assault.

Miller uses a cautionary tone to get her argument across to the audience. In order to warn

others about sexual assault she needed to tell her story. This cautious tone was throughout her

whole statement, but strongest in her final statements. Miller addressed females specifically, “I

fought everyday for you. So never stop fighting, I believe you” (Miller). The intentions of her

letter was to bring awareness to sexual assault, and the way people dismiss it, even today. Her

cautiousness was less about how to keep themselves safe, and more about discussing the need to

understand sexual assault survivors. If the situations are not brought to light, survivors will

suppress their feelings, and the assaults will continue to happen. When Miller put her name on

the letter it was the first step to draw attention to this ongoing tragedy.

Her use of imagery and descriptive words put the audience in Miller’s shoes after she was

assaulted. She described the tests done following the assault in vivid detail. She stated, “My

clothes were confiscated and I stood naked while the nurses held a ruler to various abrasions on

my body and photographed them” (Miller). To Miller it was not just her clothes taken from her,

but a part of her life had also been confiscated. Chanel Miller used character, facts, and

emotions in her statement to bring awareness to sexual assault. Her tone and diction throughout

her statement grasped the reader’s emotions and made them feel as if they were there with her.
This technique engaged the audience and strongly emphasized her argument that sexaual assault

is dismissed too often in today’s society.

 Works Cited

Baker, Katie J.M. “Here's The Powerful Letter The Stanford Victim Read To Her Attacker.”

BuzzFeed News​, BuzzFeed News, 3 Jun. 2016,

www.buzzfeednews.com/article/katiejmbaker/heres-the-powerful-letter-the-stanford-victi

m-read-to-her-ra.

Collman, Ashley. ​Chanel Miller Says the Positive Reaction to Her Powerful Victim Impact

Speech during Brock Turner's Trial 'Was like Feeling the Shame Dissolve'​. 23 Sept.

2019,

www.insider.com/chanel-miller-positive-reaction-to-victim-statement-was-medicine-201

9-9.
 Peer Editing Rhetorical Analysis Essay
FL20

Writer/analyst’s name______Kayla
Ringler_______________email______________

Editor’s name__Raphael Provencher___________________

After class is over, email your editing comments to the writer.

1.​ ​Write down the title of the essay. ​Remember, it must not be a
question. It must not be mysterious. The reader should know the
topic of the essay​ ​by reading the title. It can be one half creative:
one half explanatory. A Victim’s Letter to their Attacker Teaches
and Heals

2. Review the introduction/hook where the writer gives the topic to the
reader. Write down the opening sentences (2-3 sentences)
The stigma surrounding sexual assault causes many victims to stay
silent. It takes an individual who went through it strength to confide in
someone, let alone confront their attacker.

3. Introducing the author. (1-2 sentences)

– This should include the following:
· the title of the article in quotation marks,
· identifier for the author and author’s name, for example,
journalist Lamont Jones, social scientist Dr. Tiffany LaBoomboom,
etc.
· type of work (video, essay, op ed, etc)
· place of publication if a text
· Date of publication or day the video was
Write down the sentence(s).
The story was introduced by editor Katie Baker and was
published on June 3rd in 2016, about a year after the
attack.
 4. Summary of the entire article.
Write the sentence(s).

First, Miller described her state of disbelief after the assault. When
she spoke with an officer, she was “assured he was speaking to the
wrong person.” not letting herself admit she’d been attacked. Miller
then closed off her feelings to her loved ones, only telling her sister
what happened to her, and she “pretended the whole thing wasn’t
real.” When the case went to trial, Miller felt like she was being
“revictimized” by facing the questions posed by Turner’s attorney.
Furthermore, she described her disgust with the judicial system.
Because of Brock’s swimming reputation, he got a lesser sentence and
spent less than a year behind bars. Miller explained this as, “a
mockery of the seriousness of his assaults, an insult to me and all
women.” Influential speaker, Chanel Miller wrote a letter to her
attacker that strongly argued the issues surrounding sexual assault
through the use of character, emotions, and facts.

5.​ ​Author’s thesis. Write the thesis of the author (implicit or explicit
thesis/premises) and whether he/she/they were effective in proving the
argument (this is in effect the analyst’s thesis. You can also reiterate this
in your conclusion.)
​He sexually assaulted Miller at a fraternity party behind a dumpster, but two
students saved her by chasing and tackling Turner.

6. Examples where the author proved his premises.

The author’s direct quotes ​must​ have 1) signal phrases 2) proper
punctuation and 3) correct citations.
Commas and periods go within quotation marks.
Commas and periods go within quotation marks.
Commas and periods go within quotation marks.
Commas and periods go within quotation marks.

Sam Smith argues that he got the idea for his song when his
neighbor heard he was moving and said, “I don’t want to say
goodbye” (Harris 42).
Write down an example or two .
Miller used statements that supported her character throughout
her argument. In her opening statement, she described her
thoughts before the party. Her sister teased her for, “wearing a
beige cardigan to a frat party like a librarian.”
7. Author’s use of ethos, logos and pathos
Give an example of each if possible
Logos/Ethos: First, she began with the day the assault happened, January
17th, 2015.
Pathos: “You don’t know me, but you’ve been inside me.”

8. Write down if the analyst references diction and style and tone of the
author.
Miller uses a cautionary tone to get her argument across to the audience.
9. Conclusion​ –
Write down the author’s conclusion
Chanel Miller used character, facts, and emotions in her statement to bring
awareness to sexual assault. Her tone and diction throughout her statement grasped
the reader’s emotions and made them feel as if they were there with her. This
technique engaged the audience and strongly emphasized her argument that
sexaual assault is dismissed too often in today’s society.

10.If there’s a Works Cited page make sure the words are ​not​ underlined,
centered, and the citations follow MLA format. Second line indented, etc

11.Tell the writer what you specifically enjoyed about the essay.
Great use of examples. By reading the first paragraph I felt like I have read the
whole article. Great summary.