Neil Gaiman has issued a strong denial of sexual assault allegations outlined in a New York Magazine cover story that we recently reported on.
The acclaimed author of The Sandman and Coraline addressed the claims on his personal blog, stating unequivocally: “I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever.”
In the detailed statement Gaiman reflected on his past personal relationships. He acknowledged being “emotionally unavailable while being sexually available, self-focused, and not as thoughtful” as he should have been.
While expressing regret for his shortcomings in relationships, he maintained that the accusations of sexual assault were entirely false. “I’m not willing to turn my back on the truth, and I can’t accept being described as someone I am not, and cannot and will not admit to doing things I didn’t do,” he wrote.
The allegations against Gaiman first surfaced in July through a six-part podcast by Tortoise Media titled Master, which featured accounts from five women.
New York Magazine’s recent article, “There Is No Safe Word,” expanded on these claims, with reporter Lila Shapiro speaking to eight women who alleged inappropriate behavior by the author.
Among them were a babysitter for Gaiman and his ex-wife Amanda Palmer’s child, a caretaker for Gaiman’s Woodstock, New York property, and a fan who claimed inappropriate conduct began when she was 18.
Several accusers detailed instances involving rough sexual encounters and BDSM activities they claimed were non-consensual.
Gaiman has consistently denied the allegations, saying that all interactions were consensual. His latest blog post marks his biggest response to date, rejecting what he described as mischaracterizations of his actions and intentions.
Since the initial report, Gaiman’s film and TV projects have been affected. Production of Disney’s film adaptation of The Graveyard Book was paused, and Netflix canceled Dead Boy Detectives. While it’s unclear if these decisions were directly related to the allegations, Gaiman exited the third season of Good Omens, which has been condensed to a single 90-minute episode.
You can read Gaiman’s full statement below.
“Over the past many months, I have watched the stories circulating the internet about me with horror and dismay. I’ve stayed quiet until now, both out of respect for the people who were sharing their stories and out of a desire not to draw even more attention to a lot of misinformation.
“I’ve always tried to be a private person, and felt increasingly that social media was the wrong place to talk about important personal matters. I’ve now reached the point where I feel that I should say something.
As I read through this latest collection of accounts, there are moments I half-recognise and moments I don’t, descriptions of things that happened sitting beside things that emphatically did not happen. I’m far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever.
I went back to read the messages I exchanged with the women around and following the occasions that have subsequently been reported as being abusive.
“These messages read now as they did when I received them – of two people enjoying entirely consensual sexual relationships and wanting to see one another again. At the time I was in those relationships, they seemed positive and happy on both sides.
And I also realise, looking through them, years later, that I could have and should have done so much better. I was emotionally unavailable while being sexually available, self-focused and not as thoughtful as I could or should have been.
“I was obviously careless with people’s hearts and feelings, and that’s something that I really, deeply regret. It was selfish of me. I was caught up in my own story and I ignored other people’s.
I’ve spent some months now taking a long, hard look at who I have been and how I have made people feel.
Like most of us, I’m learning, and I’m trying to do the work needed, and I know that that’s not an overnight process. I hope that with the help of good people, I’ll continue to grow.
“I understand that not everyone will believe me or even care what I say but I’ll be doing the work anyway, for myself, my family and the people I love. I will be doing my very best to deserve their trust, as well as the trust of my readers.
“At the same time, as I reflect on my past – and as I re-review everything that actually happened as opposed to what is being alleged – I don’t accept there was any abuse. To repeat, I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone.
“Some of the horrible stories now being told simply never happened, while others have been so distorted from what actually took place that they bear no relationship to reality.
“I am prepared to take responsibility for any missteps I made. I’m not willing to turn my back on the truth, and I can’t accept being described as someone I am not, and cannot and will not admit to doing things I didn’t do.”
