WARNING: The following article contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault. If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, you can contact RAINN for help at 800.656.HOPE (4673).
Last July, it was widely reported that The Sandman, Good Omens, and American Gods writer Neil Gaiman had been accused of sexual assault by two women. While it appears no further steps were taken (at least as of now), several of the prolific author's upcoming projects have been quietly postponed or cancelled.
Vulture has today published a lengthy article breaking down many of the complaints made against Gaiman - who also penned a critically acclaimed Eternals run for Marvel Comics - and they make for utterly horrifying reading.
Scarlett Pavlovich is the main focus of the piece and recalls meeting Gaiman in New Zealand after befriending his now ex-wife Amanda Palmer and becoming their children's nanny. Pavlovich's first meeting with the writer is said to have concluded with him convincing her to bathe in the claw bathtub in his garden while he made a work call.
However, he's alleged to have joined her and, as Pavlovich recounts, "I can tell you that 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. He said, 'Call me 'master,' and I’ll come.' He said, 'Be a good girl. You’re a good little girl.'"
Other accusations include Gaiman using butter as a lubricant while forcing Pavlovich into having anal sex before forcing her to clean the faeces from his penis. The report also claims, "He ordered her to suck him off while he watched screeners for the first season of The Sandman. In one instance, he thrust his penis into Pavlovich’s mouth with such force that she vomited on him. Then he told her to eat the vomit off his lap and lick it up from the couch."
That's the tip of the iceberg and the rest of the published story is every bit as horrific. Several other instances are detailed, with the ages of the women in question typically ranging from 18 to their early 20s while Gaiman was in his 40s. Many of the women are said to have been fans he met at signings, for example.
Kendra Stout says she was coerced into rough sex with Gaiman and, after she requested that he stop beating her with his belt, he responded, "It’s the only way I can get off." Stout has also accused him of raping her after she refused to have sex with him while dealing with a nasty UTI.
"Gaiman flipped her over on the bed, she says, and attempted to penetrate her with his fingers," the report explains. "She told him 'no.' He stopped for a moment and then he penetrated her with his penis. At that point, she tells me, 'I just shut down.' She lay on the bed until he was finished."
It's unclear whether Gaiman will face any legal action in regards to these accusations but, as of now, Netflix intends to release The Sandman season 2 later this year as planned. The writer has denied these and other claims from multiple women.