Renowned novelist Neil Gaiman has refuted accusations of sexual misconduct, asserting that he has “never participated in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone.”.
Allegations from eight women against the 64-year-old, including accusations of sexually assaulting a woman in a bath, were published in New York Magazine on Monday, with five of the women’s claims were revealed on a Tortoise Media podcast titled Master last year.
In a blog post on Tuesday, the British-born author of The Sandman expressed his “horror and dismay” upon reading the charges.
Neil Gaiman stated: “I have remained silent until this point, both in deference to those sharing their narratives and to avoid exacerbating the dissemination of misinformation.”
I have consistently sought to maintain my privacy and have increasingly perceived social media as an inappropriate platform for discussing significant personal issues. I have now arrived at a juncture where I believe it is necessary to express my thoughts.
“Upon reviewing this recent compilation of narratives, I encounter instances I partially recall and instances I do not, depictions of events occurring alongside those that unequivocally did not transpire.”
I am not a flawless individual, nevertheless I have never participated in non-consensual sexual acts with anyone. At any time.
Neil Gaiman stated that he had seen text messages from the period of the purported incidents and believed they reflected “two individuals engaging in wholly consensual sexual relationships.”
I was indisputably negligent towards the emotions and sentiments of others, and it is a matter I profoundly lament. My actions were egocentric. I became engrossed in my own narrative and disregarded the stories of others.
Neil Gaiman stated that upon reviewing them, he recognised he “could have and should have performed significantly better,” adding that he was “not as considerate as I could or should have been.”
Neil Gaiman stated, “I was evidently negligent regarding individuals’ emotions and sentiments, and that is something I profoundly regret.” My actions were self-serving. I became engrossed in my own narrative and disregarded the stories of others.
I have devoted several months to a thorough examination of my past behaviour and its impact on others’ emotions.
“Similar to many individuals, I am acquiring knowledge and endeavouring to undertake the necessary efforts, recognising that this is not an instantaneous process.”
Neil Gaiman acknowledged that “not everyone will believe me” and stated he would be “doing my utmost to earn their trust, as well as the trust of my readers.”
He asserted that certain claims “simply never occurred,” while others had been “distorted” to “bear no relation to reality,” however he stated he would “accept responsibility for any missteps I made.”
In the New York Magazine piece, one woman asserted that while babysitting Neil Gaiman’s five-year-old child, the author proposed a bath in his garden, subsequently joined her unclothed, and requested that she sit on his lap. She alleged that he subsequently sexually attacked her.
The article asserts that all accusers had acquiesced to Neil Gaiman’s desires to some degree by referring to him as “master”; nevertheless, the women contend that consent and particular BDSM acts, which they claim occurred, were not discussed or consented to prior to their execution.
Neil Gaiman’s agents earlier informed Tortoise Media that “sexual degradation, bondage, domination, sadism, and masochism may not appeal to everyone, but BDSM is legal among consenting adults.”
A police report alleging sexual assault on Neil Gaiman was filed in January 2023, but the investigation was ultimately discontinued.
Neil Gaiman is recognised for works including Coraline, American Gods, and The Sandman, all of which have been adapted for film or television.
Following the emergence of the charges, other film and television adaptations of Neil Gaiman’s works have reportedly been impacted, including the third season of Good Omens, co-authored with Terry Pratchett, and a film adaptation of The Graveyard Book.
[Editor’s Note: 8 different women complaining isn’t a great look. Who knows? Let’s wait and see.]
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