Neil Gaiman Accused of Decades-Long Abuse in a Deeply Disturbing Report

Last July, a British podcast from Tortoise Media, Master, reported on a number of sexual misconduct allegations against author Neil Gaiman spanning five decades. These allegations led to several canceled or scrapped projects based on Gaiman’s work (although, as of now, a second season of Sandman is still in development on Netflix, along with a 90-minute wrap-up episode of Good Omens).

A new report by Lila Shapiro at New York Magazine may put even those projects in jeopardy. The article includes stomach-churning accounts from several women, mostly decades younger than Gaiman (including an 18-year-old), who were coerced into sexual acts without their consent.

Scarlett Pavlovich described instances in which Gaiman ignored her protests and engaged in degrading acts, including anal penetration without lubrication and using butter as a lubricant after she screamed “no.” She also alleged that he forced her into humiliating scenarios, such as performing oral sex in unsanitary conditions, consuming her own vomit, and calling him “master.” Pavlovich, who worked as a nanny for Gaiman, said he told her to address him as “master” and claimed that he often performed sexual acts on her in front of her son, who began calling her “slave.”

Other women reported similar patterns of dominance and degradation. According to the report, Gaiman targeted fans, employees, and women in precarious situations. While he framed many of these encounters as BDSM, he ignored the fundamental principle of explicit consent. Several women stated that Gaiman failed to respect the boundaries between consensual BDSM and abuse. After the encounters, he allegedly pressured the women into silence through financial settlements and NDAs.

The article also examines Gaiman’s relationship with his wife, Amanda Palmer, who embraced an open marriage and exchanged details of their extramarital affairs with him. Palmer introduced a fan named Rachel to Gaiman, leading to a sexual relationship that Rachel later described as coercive and painful. Their marriage began to unravel due to Gaiman’s numerous affairs, including one with a young fan while Palmer was pregnant.

When Pavlovich confided in Palmer about her degrading experiences, Palmer did not appear surprised, revealing that 14 other women had shared similar accounts with her. Although Palmer expressed empathy toward Pavlovich, she ultimately refused to cooperate in a police investigation. Given her prior knowledge of her husband’s behavior, Palmer’s inaction can be seen as enabling it.

It is a deeply disturbing account of a man who exploited his position to sexually abuse and degrade vulnerable young women, silencing them for decades through the power of his fame and wealth.

Source: Vulture