Neil Gaiman Sued by Former Nanny Who Accused Him of Rape

Author Neil Gaiman and his estranged wife Amanda Palmer were sued in federal cases filed in New York, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts on Monday by their former nanny, who accused the author of rape and sexual assault. The suits also accused Palmer of “procuring and presenting the Plaintiff to Gaiman for such abuse.”

The suits from plaintiff Scarlett Pavlovich, which were obtained by Rolling Stone, follow a bombshell report from New York Magazine, where she and seven women claimed Gaiman had sexually assaulted, abused, and were forced into non-consensual sex.

In the Wisconsin filing, it claimed Gaiman “repeatedly physically and emotionally abused Scarlett, raping her vaginally and anally, humiliating her, forcing her into sexual conduct in front of Gaiman’s child, and forcing her to touch and lick feces and urine.” He also allegedly ordered Pavlovich to call him “master” and he referred to her as a “slave.” It was so commonplace, according to the suit, that Gaiman’s child began to refer to her as a slave as well.

In what was described as the first incident of alleged rape in February 2022, Gaiman allegedly penetrated Pavlovich anally with his fingers and then attempted to do so with his penis. In another incident, the suit alleges Gaiman anally raped her “while smearing her with truffle oil,” despite her “screaming ‘I can’t’ and ‘no’ at the start of the encounter.”

Gaiman’s estranged wife, musician Amanda Palmer, is the only defendant named in the New York and Massachusetts suits. Pavlovich suits claim that Palmer was cognizant of Gaiman’s “sexual predilections and need to humiliate his female sexual partners — with or without their consent.” Human trafficking, conspiracy to commit human trafficking, and negligence are among the causes of action in the suits against Palmer. The Wisconsin suit, which names both Palmer and Gaiman as defendants, includes the aforementioned causes of action, along with claiming assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of extreme emotional distress against Gaiman.

Reps for Gaiman and Palmer did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s separate requests for comment, nor did attorneys for Pavlovich.

Several Gaiman-related projects have been affected in the wake of the initial allegations. Disney+ paused plans to adapt Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book into a film, Prime Video pivoted away from a third season of Gaiman’s Good Omens, instead opting for a feature-length final episode without Gaiman’s participation, and The Sandman will end after Season Two.

Last month, Dark Horse Comics canceled a comic book based on Gaiman’s Anansi Boys, and a planned stage musical based on Gaiman’s Coraline was also nixed.

In a statement posted to his website following the New York Magazine article that features the accounts of eight of his accusers, Gaiman wrote, “I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever.”