Know My Name: A Memoir

Alaleh Kianerci is a prosecutor with the Santa Clara District Attorney’s office. Assigned to Miller’s case, she works closely with her throughout the legal process, keeping her up to date on developments and giving her advice about how to present herself in court. Although Miller’s experiences with the criminal justice system are often traumatic, Alaleh is a rare beacon of hope and, implicitly, one of the women whose strength and compassion Miller finds comforting in the aftermath of her assault.

Brock Turner is Miller’s assailant. At the time of the rape, he is a freshman at Stanford, which had awarded him a swimming scholarship. Turner’s athletic talent, wealthy background, and gender lead the media to depict him sympathetically in the wake of his arrest, overlooking any details (e.g. a history of alcohol use and harassment) that might cast him in a less favorable light. This treatment is arguably as much a lesson in male privilege and entitlement as the assault itself, and it extends all the way up to his light sentencing. Turner also never seems to take responsibility for his actions, instead depicting himself as a victim of alcohol-induced impaired judgment.

Tiffany is Miller’s younger sister, whom she accompanied to the Stanford party on the night of the assault. Tiffany is supportive and helpful in the aftermath; she picks her sister up at the hospital, provides valuable information to the police on Miller’s assailant, and helps her prepare for her court appearances (while also testifying herself). Nevertheless, Tiffany also serves as a focal point for some of the unhealthy ways Miller responds to her assault. For example, the impact the assault has on Tiffany combines with Miller’s broader feelings of guilt and leads her to criticize herself for “failing” in her role as protective older sister.