It's been reported today that The Sandman, Good Omens, and American Gods writer Neil Gaiman has been accused of sexual assault by two women. Police in New Zealand are said to be investigating the allegations.
The prolific author, who also penned a hit run of Eternals for Marvel Comics, has denied the claims and allegedly offered to assist police over a 2022 complaint, an offer they didn't take him up on (which he believes reflects the complaint's lack of substance).
However, in a statement to Tortoise, the police say they made a "number of attempts to speak to key people as part of this investigation and those efforts remain ongoing," adding that there are "a number of factors to take into consideration with this case, including location of all parties."
The two women had consensual relationships with Gaiman; one was a nanny to his child and the other was a fan. Both are relatively young compared to the 63-year-old writer.
Here's an excerpt from the site's report detailing the allegations and Gaiman's response:
Scarlett, 23, alleges that Gaiman sexually assaulted her within hours of their first meeting in February 2022 in a bath at his New Zealand residence, where she worked as a nanny to his child. Tortoise understands that Gaiman’s account is that they only “cuddled” and “made out” in the bath and that he had established consent for this. His position is that, over the three-week sexual relationship that followed, they only ever engaged in consensual digital penetration.
Scarlett alleges that within this otherwise consensual relationship Gaiman engaged in rough and degrading penetrative sexual acts with her. Tortoise has seen contemporaneous messages, notes, and spoken to friends who Scarlett talked to at the time, which supports her allegations.
The second woman, K, was 18 when she met Gaiman at a book signing in Sarasota, Florida in 2003. She began a romantic relationship with him when she turned 20, and Gaiman was in his mid-40s, but alleges that she submitted to rough and painful sex that “she neither wanted nor enjoyed.” In one incident she alleges Gaiman penetrated her despite her asking him not to as she was suffering from a painful infection. Gaiman’s position is that he denies any unlawful behaviour with K and is disturbed by her allegations.
Tortoise understands that he believes K’s allegations are motivated by her regret over their relationship and that Scarlett was suffering from a condition associated with false memories at the time of her relationship with him, a claim which is not supported by her medical records and medical history.
It's unclear whether this will lead anywhere, but they're serious allegations and ones which the police do appear to be taking seriously. If nothing else, we'd imagine Gaiman will take a backseat in promoting The Sandman TV series until this is all ironed out.
Stay tuned for updates as we have them.