Poetic Voices of Sexual Victimisation: A Thematic Analysis and Topic Model of Online Poetry (2003-2025)

This study examines sexual victimisation through poetry published online between 2003 and 2025. Poetic data has rarely been used in sexual victimisation research, leaving gaps in understanding and risking misrepresentation. Poetry offers a unique lens for exploring emotions and experiences often absent from conventional sources. A mixed-methods approach combines thematic analysis of a random sample of 50 poems with topic modelling of a corpus of 3,747 poems. Thematic analysis identifies five recurring themes: details of victimisation, contributing factors, aftermath of victimisation, comprehension of sexual victimisation, and healing process. Topic modelling reveals 35 topics aligned with these themes, while trend analysis shows no consistent shifts in prevalence over time. Findings underscore poetry’s capacity to convey sensitive phenomena and highlight its potential for criminological inquiry. Methodological implications for integrating creative expressions into research are discussed.