Renowned author Neil Gaiman, known for works like The Sandman and Coraline, has been accused of sexual assault by multiple women, as detailed in a New York Magazine cover story titled “There Is No Safe Word.”
The article, written by Lila Shapiro, builds upon a prior Tortoise Media podcast series, Master, which first brought allegations against Gaiman to light.
In July, Tortoise Media reported accusations from two women and later expanded the claims to five women in its podcast. However, several accusers chose anonymity, leaving significant details uncorroborated.
The New York Magazine piece now provides additional accounts, with eight women speaking on the record, four of whom also participated in the Tortoise podcast.
One of the accusers, Scarlett Pavlovich, recounted meeting Gaiman’s ex-wife Amanda Palmer in New Zealand, where she was later asked to babysit the couple’s child.
Pavlovich alleged that Gaiman assaulted her the first time they met, offering her a bath in his garden’s claw-foot tub before joining her naked and initiating non-consensual acts.
“He put his fingers straight into my ass and tried to put his penis in my ass. And I said, ‘No, no.’ Then he tried to rub his penis between my breasts, and I said ‘no’ as well. Then he asked if he could come on my face, and I said ‘no’ but he did anyway,” Pavlovich told New York Magazine. “He said, ‘Call me ‘master,’ and I’ll come.’ He said, ‘Be a good girl. You’re a good little girl.’”
Pavlovich alleged that the assaults continued during her time as the family’s babysitter, including one instance where Gaiman used butter as lubricant for anal sex. She claims he ordered her to “clean him up,” calling her a “slave” when she resisted.
Another accuser, Caroline, worked on Gaiman’s Woodstock, New York property as a caretaker and babysitter. Caroline alleged that Gaiman climbed into bed with her and his son one night and forced her to touch him inappropriately.
“He didn’t have boundaries,” Caroline told New York Magazine. “I remember thinking that there was something really wrong with him.” She later signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and received $300,000 after initially asking for a higher sum to leave the property.
Gaiman’s representatives denied the allegations, claiming Caroline initiated their sexual encounters and that no inappropriate actions occurred in the presence of his son.
Kendra Stout, another accuser, alleged that Gaiman raped her in 2007 during a trip to the Cornish countryside.
Stout stated that she repeatedly said “no” due to a painful urinary tract infection, but Gaiman ignored her protests. She filed a police report in October.
Katherine Kendall, who met Gaiman in 2012, also accused him of attempting to assault her on his tour bus. She later received $60,000 from Gaiman, allegedly to cover therapy costs. According to a recorded phone call, Gaiman told her the money was to “make up for the damage.”
Gaiman has strenuously denied all allegations, maintaining that his relationships were consensual.
Regarding Pavlovich’s hotel room allegation, his representatives called it “false, not to mention deplorable.” They also asserted that any BDSM activities Gaiman engaged in were lawful and between consenting adults.
However, accusers have claimed that consent and boundaries were not explicitly discussed prior to these acts.
Despite this, Pavlovich stayed in touch with Gaiman after the alleged incidents and even reassured him that their interactions were consensual. She later filed a police report in January 2023, but the case has since been closed.
The allegations have had significant repercussions on Gaiman’s professional life. While Season 2 of Netflix’s The Sandman and Prime Video’s Anansi Boys adaptation are still on track, other projects have faced disruptions.
Disney paused production on its film adaptation of The Graveyard Book, and Netflix canceled Dead Boy Detectives, though it remains unclear if the latter decision was directly related to the accusations.
Additionally, Gaiman’s involvement in Season 3 of Prime Video’s Good Omens has been scaled back, with the season now concluding in a single 90-minute episode.
As the controversy continues to unfold, the allegations against Gaiman highlight ongoing issues surrounding consent and power dynamics within the literary and entertainment industries.
