Poster #230 - The Song Remains the Same: Lived Experiences of Musician-Perpetrated Sexual Violence

• In Event: ASC Poster Session I

Abstract

Recent high-profile cases have illuminated the prevalence and severity of sexual violence in the music industry, yet academic research on musician-perpetrated sexual violence (MPSV) remains limited. This study addressed that gap through a qualitative exploration of how people who have experienced MPSV perceived, contextualized, and made sense of these experiences. While focused specifically on the music industry, the study was informed by research on sexual violence in other high-profile contexts—such as sports and politics—which highlight how power, status, and public perception can enable people who commit sexual violence to avoid accountability. Drawing on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with participants who have experienced MPSV, the study examined the complex dynamics of power, celebrity status, and cultural narratives—such as victim-blaming rhetoric and the romanticization of “groupie” culture—that shaped experiences of MPSV and their aftermath. Using the biographic narrative interpretive method (BNIM), interviews prioritized participant autonomy and narrative control. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis to identify patterns across narratives while centering individual meaning-making. Findings have implications for prevention efforts, advocacy, policy reform, and institutional accountability, and will contribute to a broader public understanding of consent and power in the context of celebrity worship and the music industry.

Author

• Kelly Blaus, University of Central Florida