You don’t know me . . .

Story & Song
Press Release
April 2, 2018 7:14 a.m.

“You don’t know me …” was the opening line of a 12-page letter that “Emily Doe” insisted on reading directly to the young man standing trial, accused of rape and felony sexual assault. The trial and its outcome made national news, and the letter went viral, being read online more than eleven million times.

In January, 2015, 19-year-old Stanford student and star athlete Brock Turner was apprehended while sexually assaulting 22-year-old “Emily Doe,” who was intoxicated and unconscious at the time. Blaming his actions on a “campus party culture” and pleading not guilty, the verdict was otherwise.

Though he could have been sentenced to 14 years in prison, the judge sentenced him to six months in the county jail; he was released after three months on “good behavior.”
The lenient sentence sparked outrage, leading to a debate sweeping the U.S. about rape culture, white male privilege in the criminal justice system, and campus safety.

The words of “Emily Doe” were so powerful and haunting, local artist Diana Herman turned the letter into a dramatic staged reading with three actors giving voice to Emily Doe, focusing on her journey to healing and wholeness after surviving a traumatic event. “You Don’t Know Me” will be performed on Saturday, April 7th at 7:30 pm at the new Story & Song Bookstore Bistro located in Amelia Park at 1430 Park Avenue. Tickets are $10, with proceeds being donated to the Rape Crisis Center, Nassau County Division of the Women’s Center of Jacksonville. Purchase tickets in advance at the bookstore.

Also speaking after the performance is Trisha Meili, whose book, “I Am the Central Park Jogger,” recounts her ordeal and its aftermath, as well as her own personal journey to wholeness. For more information, contact Lori Armstrong at [email protected] or call (904) 716-5390.