Popular English author Neil Gaiman, who wrote the comic book series The Sandman and the novel Good Omens, has been accused of sexual assault by two women. These allegations were brought up in a four-episode podcast series by British news website Tortoise Media, titled Master: The Allegations Against Neil Gaiman.
It was reported that the two women, Scarlett and K, had been in consensual relationships with Gaiman, 63, at different stages of his life. The podcast series features interviews with both women as well as statements from Gaiman who “strongly denies any allegation of sexual misconduct”.
The first woman, Scarlett, was 22 years old when she was hired by American singer Amanda Palmer, Gaiman’s then-wife, to babysit their son in Waiheke Island, New Zealand.
According to Scarlett, the sexual assault took place “within hours of meeting” Gaiman at his home, and the author “continued to assault” her in the coming months.
She alleged that he had made her perform a sexual act with her hands while in a bathtub together. “He started saying filthy things, ordering me to call him ‘master’,” she recounted.
According to the podcast, in Gaiman’s account of the events, he had likened it to “no more than cuddling and making out”.
After the incident, Scarlett recounted her experience to her friend via text and began searching online for “Neil Gaiman Me Too” and “Neil Gaiman Sexual Assault”.
“It was so confusing because at the end of it, he made me feel like it was consensual but it wasn’t consensual,” said Scarlett in the podcast. She also claimed that Gaiman then engaged in rough sexual acts with her for a month.
When asked why she stayed around, Scarlett said: “[Gaiman and Palmer] made me feel like a part of the family and they made me feel completely connected to them.”
According to Scarlett, she filed a complaint to the New Zealand police in 2022. The podcast said that Gaiman had offered to assist in the investigation but his offer was not pursued by the police.
