This article uses Q methodology, respondent questionnaires, and qualitative interviews to examine the relationship between the experience of victimization and how respondents interpret musical lyrics. Two factors representing different perspectives on the song, “I May Know the Word,” were identified in a prior Q study. Factor A interpreted the song as a literal representation of rape, battering, and sexual assault; Factor B viewed it as a more abstract conflict over decision making. Data from the current study show a significant correlation between Factor A and the number of specific abuse behaviors individuals had experienced. However, although individuals subjected to multiple types of abuse were more likely to interpret the song in a literal manner, they did not necessarily name their experiences as rape or violence. The literature on the effects of traumatic experience is explored to explain this apparent contradiction.
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