British Writer Neil Gaiman Denies Sexual Assault Allegations After Magazine Report
Best-selling British author Neil Gaiman has issued a statement denying accusations of non-consensual sexual activity following a New York Magazine article detailing allegations of assault, abuse, and coercion from eight women, The Associated Press reports.
The 64-year-old author, known for works like “The Sandman” comic book series and the novel “American Gods,” released the statement on Wednesday, responding to the claims, some of which had been previously aired in a Tortoise Media podcast in July.
Gaiman stated that he had watched stories about him circulate online for months with “horror and dismay.”
The author said that he had reviewed past message exchanges with his accusers, which he said read like “two people enjoying entirely consensual sexual relationships and wanting to see one another again.”
Most of the allegations involve incidents that reportedly occurred when Gaiman was in his 40s or older, spanning locations in the United States, Britain, and New Zealand.
One accuser, Scarlett Pavlovich, claims to have met Gaiman through his then-wife, US performer Amanda Palmer, on a New Zealand island in 2022. Pavlovich alleges that Gaiman began abusing her from the night they met. Some of her allegations were initially made public in the podcast six months prior. According to the New York Magazine report, Pavlovich filed a police report in January 2023, accusing Gaiman of sexual assault.
The New Zealand Police declined to confirm whether Gaiman was under investigation, citing privacy rights for complainants and general police policy.
The allegations against Gaiman have sparked widespread discussion online and in the media. Gaiman’s works, which have been adapted into numerous films and television programs, have a large and dedicated fanbase, making the accusations particularly resonant.
