As the author finds himself under an extreme level of criticism, Neil Gaiman has addressed the Sєxual ᴀssault allegations being levied against him. In the midst of his success with Netflix’s The Sandman and Prime Video’s Good Omens, five women came forward in July 2024 to accuse the author of Sєxual ᴀssault and abuse at various points in their lives. This initially resulted in production being halted on Good Omens season 3 and Disney’s The Graveyard Book adaptation, with Gaiman ultimately leaving the former, on which he served as showrunner to adapt his fantasy novel.

While word died down surrounding him following these production changes in September, an extensive report from Vulture came out on January 13 offering extensive insight into the allegations against Gaiman. The publication interviewed eight women who shared their stories of their abusive experiences with him, namely that of the former nanny of Gaiman and his ex-wife Amanda Palmer’s child, Scarlet Pavlovich, who described having been forced to perform various Sєxual acts, including once being ᴀssaulted in the presence of his son. Upon its publishing, the story noted that neither Gaiman nor Palmer made themselves available for interview, instead relaying comments to their representatives.

Gaiman Responds Directly To The Sєxual ᴀssault Allegations Against Him

The Author Denies Having Sєxually Abused Anyone

Now, just over 24 hours after the damning report was published, Gaiman has broken his silence on the Sєxual ᴀssault allegations that have been levied against him over the past year. In the blog on his official website, the author began by reflecting on having “watched the stories circulating the internet” regarding the allegations against him with a feeling of “horror and dismay“, while also explaining why he’s choosing now to speak out:

Over the past many months, I have watched the stories circulating the internet about me with horror and dismay. I’ve stayed quiet until now, both out of respect for the people who were sharing their stories and out of a desire not to draw even more attention to a lot of misinformation. I’ve always tried to be a private person, and felt increasingly that social media was the wrong place to talk about important personal matters. I’ve now reached the point where I feel that I should say something.

Gaiman then continued by acknowledging that “there are moments I half-recognise and moments I don’t“ from the stories laid out by Pavolovich and the various other women, many of whom remained anonymous in the report, while also affirming that he has “never engaged in non-consensual Sєxual activity” with anyone, namely the victims in the story:

As I read through this latest collection of accounts, there are moments I half-recognise and moments I don’t, descriptions of things that happened sitting beside things that emphatically did not happen. I’m far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual Sєxual activity with anyone. Ever.

With much of Vulture‘s report including text messages between the author and those accusing him of abuse, Gaiman stated that he took time to go back and re-read the messages and conversations that were in the article, expressing his belief that the conversations were “of two people enjoying entirely consensual Sєxual relationships” and that both parties were “positive and happy“:

I went back to read the messages I exchanged with the women around and following the occasions that have subsequently been reported as being abusive. These messages read now as they did when I received them – of two people enjoying entirely consensual Sєxual relationships and wanting to see one another again. At the time I was in those relationships, they seemed positive and happy on both sides.

He did, however, acknowledge in re-reading the messages that he “could have and should have done so much better“, recognizing that at the time of many of the stories and conversations he was “emotionally unavailable while being Sєxually unavailable” and therefore was “obviously careless with people’s hearts and feelings” and that his actions are something “I really, deeply regret“:

And I also realise, looking through them, years later, that I could have and should have done so much better. I was emotionally unavailable while being Sєxually available, self-focused and not as thoughtful as I could or should have been. I was obviously careless with people’s hearts and feelings, and that’s something that I really, deeply regret. It was selfish of me. I was caught up in my own story and I ignored other people’s.

Gaiman continued his post by acknowledging that he has spent “some months” engaging in inner reflection in the hopes of “trying to do the work needed” to make up for “how I have made people feel“. The author went on to share his hope that “with the help of good people, I’ll continue to grow“, even while acknowledging that “not everyone will believe me or even care what I say“:

I’ve spent some months now taking a long, hard look at who I have been and how I have made people feel. Like most of us, I’m learning, and I’m trying to do the work needed, and I know that that’s not an overnight process. I hope that, with the help of good people, I’ll continue to grow. I understand that not everyone will believe me or even care what I say, but I’ll be doing the work anyway, for myself, my family and the people I love. I will be doing my very best to deserve their trust, as well as the trust of my readers.

Gaiman would conclude his post by doubling down on his innocence in the more damning elements of the recent report, directly stating “I don’t accept there was any abuse“, while again stating he has never engaged in non-consensual Sєxual activity. Though he did state he is “prepared to take responsibility for any missteps“, he’s also “not willing to turn my back on the truth“. See the rest of what Gaiman wrote below:

At the same time, as I reflect on my past – and as I re-review everything that actually happened as opposed to what is being alleged – I don’t accept there was any abuse. To repeat, I have never engaged in non-consensual Sєxual activity with anyone. Some of the horrible stories now being told simply never happened, while others have been so distorted from what actually took place that they bear no relationship to reality. I am prepared to take responsibility for any missteps I made. I’m not willing to turn my back on the truth, and I can’t accept being described as someone I am not, and cannot and will not admit to doing things I didn’t do.

What This Means For Gaiman & His Allegations

He Still Has A Very Long Road Ahead

Gaiman’s comments are largely in line with those the Vulture report stated came from the Sandman creator’s representatives, namely the ᴀssurance that he has never engaged in non-consensual Sєx. In the wake of the #MeToo Movement, it is generally a trend for the accused to deny such allegations, be they true or not, so it likely won’t come as much of a surprise to see the author deny the more shocking accusations against him. However, it is rare for the figure at the heart of allegations to speak out directly and so swiftly, with lawyers and publicists typically advising against such.

Regardless of the motivation behind his posting, though, Neil Gaiman has a very long road ahead of him. Most figures who have had victims come out with allegations against them have found themselves struggling to bounce back in their careers, some of the more notable being Kevin Spacey and Louis C.K. While Netflix may still be moving ahead with The Sandman season 2 and Prime Video with Anansi Boys, there’s no denying his controversies could plague their releases and the future of those shows.

Source: Neil Gaiman