A girl from New Zealand has filed three civil lawsuits accusing best-selling British writer Neil Gaiman of repeatedly sexually assaulting her whereas she was working as his household’s babysitter and nanny.
Scarlett Pavlovich filed the lawsuits — one towards Gaiman and his spouse, Amanda Palmer, and two extra towards Palmer — in federal courtroom in Wisconsin, Massachusetts and New York on Monday.
The Related Press doesn’t determine individuals who say they’ve been sexually assaulted except they publicly determine themselves. Pavlovich recognized herself in an interview with New York Journal, which revealed an article in January detailing allegations of assault, abuse and coercion levelled by eight girls.
Pavlovich alleges within the lawsuits that she was homeless and dwelling on a seaside when she met Palmer in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2020. Pavlovich was 22 years previous on the time.
In line with the lawsuits, Palmer invited Pavlovich to the couple’s residence on Waiheke Island. Pavlovich started working errands for the couple, babysitting their son and serving to with chores, ultimately changing into the couple’s nanny.
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Gaiman first sexually assaulted her the night time they met in February 2022, based on the lawsuits. The assaults continued however she saved working for the couple as a result of she was broke and homeless and Gaiman had advised her he would assist her writing profession, based on the lawsuits.
When she advised Palmer in regards to the assaults, Palmer advised her that greater than a dozen girls had advised her up to now that Gaiman had sexually abused them, based on the lawsuits.
The assaults didn’t cease till Pavlovich advised Palmer she was going to kill herself, the lawsuits mentioned. She left the household and have become homeless once more, though the paperwork say Gaiman ultimately paid her for her work caring for the couple’s youngster and helped cowl her hire for a number of months.
Palmer knew of Gaiman’s sexual needs and offered Pavalovich to him figuring out he would assault her, in accordance the lawsuits. Pavlovich alleges Gaiman and Palmer violated federal human trafficking prohibitions and seeks at the least $7 million in damages.
After the New York Journal article was revealed, Gaiman launched a press release in January denying he had ever engaged in non-consensual intercourse. The allegations of 4 of the ladies had been beforehand broadcast in July in a Tortoise Media podcast.
“I’m removed from an ideal particular person, however I’ve by no means engaged in non-consensual sexual exercise with anybody. Ever,” Gaiman posted on the social media platform Tumblr.
Representatives for Gaiman and Palmer didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark Monday and on-line courtroom information didn’t listing legal professionals representing them within the fits. Pavlovich’s legal professionals said within the filings that Gaiman, writer of such bestsellers as Coraline and The Sandman collection, is a resident of Menomonie, Wisconsin. However they’re uncertain if Palmer resides in Massachusetts or New York.
Pavlovich advised New York Journal that she filed a police report in January 2023 accusing Gaiman of sexual assault. Police haven’t confirmed whether or not Gaiman was ever underneath investigation.
Gaiman has labored with quite a few publishers over time. Two of them, HarperCollins and W.W. Norton, have mentioned they haven’t any plans to launch his books sooner or later. Others, together with Bloomsbury, have up to now declined remark.
Darkish Horse Comics introduced in January that it will not launch its illustrated collection primarily based on Gaiman’s novel, Anansi Boys. The seventh of eight editions was launched earlier that month.
Disney has paused a deliberate adaptation of Gaiman’s The Graveyard E book, whereas Netflix remains to be scheduled to launch a second season primarily based on The Sandman.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
