Neil Gaiman denies sexual assault of two young women

Neil Gaiman, the best-selling writer, has denied allegations of sexual assault in opposition to two younger ladies.

In an investigation for the Tortoise podcast co-hosted by Rachel Johnson, sister of Boris Johnson, two ladies declare that Gaiman engaged them in sadomasochistic acts and informed them to name him “grasp”.

Gaiman strenuously denies the allegations and mentioned all intercourse with the ladies – one who briefly labored because the household nanny and one other a fan whom he met at a e book signing – was consensual.

The primary girl mentioned she was employed by Gaiman’s then-wife, the musician Amanda Palmer, in 2022 to take care of the couple’s son.

The lady, named Scarlett, claimed that Gaiman sexually assaulted her inside hours of their first assembly, stripping bare and becoming a member of her within the tub. She was 22 and he was 61.

Gaiman mentioned the incident amounted to solely “cuddling” and “making out” and that he had established consent for this.

On one other event, Scarlett alleged that the intercourse between them “was so painful and so violent” that she misplaced consciousness.

“The ache was celestial,” she mentioned. When she requested him to cease, Scarlett mentioned, “he laughed and mentioned I wanted to be punished and used his belt on me”. Gaiman denies the allegation.

The connection continued for an additional month earlier than Gaiman left New Zealand for the UK, the lady mentioned.

Throughout that point, she despatched him quite a few messages indicating that she consented to the sexual exercise.

She additionally claimed she was required to signal an NDA after she stopped working because the household’s nanny.

The second girl, an American identified solely as Ok, was an 18-year-old fan of Gaiman’s writing when she first met him at a e book signing in Florida in 2003.

She maintained contact with him and a sexual relationship started when she was 22. He was then in his 40s.

Ok alleged that in a visit to Cornwall in 2007, she informed Gaiman that she didn’t wish to have interaction in penetrative intercourse as a result of she had a urinary tract an infection, however he went forward and the act left her “screaming” in agony. Gaiman mentioned the allegation is fake.

She maintained pleasant contact with Gaiman after their relationship resulted in 2008 however informed the podcast: “As I received older, I realised that 18-year-olds and 20-year-olds, whenever you’re in your 40s, appear like children.” She added: “Because the #MeToo stuff grew to become extra nuanced, that was once I was like, wait a minute, one thing like that occurred to me.”

Ok didn’t report Gaiman to the police. 

Scarlett did in October 2022, eight months after her transient relationship with the writer ended. 

New Zealand police didn’t transfer ahead with an investigation and didn’t interview Gaiman, though he informed the Tortoise podcast that he had provided to satisfy with officers.

The Tortoise investigation started after Scarlett received in contact with Ms Johnson through Instagram and informed her model of occasions.

Tortoise mentioned that the investigation regarded into “the greyest of gray areas with regards to our intercourse lives – the world with the scope for real misinterpretation, but additionally the potential for critical abuse”.

The 63-year-old writer is globally famend for works together with The Sandman, American Gods and Good Omens, in addition to many widespread works for kids. His books have been tailored for movie and tv.

He and Palmer introduced their break up in 2022. Beforehand they’d spoken of getting an open marriage.