British author Neil Gaiman faces allegations of sexual assault in lawsuits filed by a woman in the United States. The legal actions were submitted in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and New York on Monday. Earlier this year, Gaiman firmly denied sexual assault allegations made by eight women in a New York Magazine article. In a blog post, he acknowledged his imperfections but asserted that he has “never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever.”
The lawsuits claim that Gaiman is responsible for sexual assault, battery, violations of human trafficking laws, and causing emotional distress. The complainant is seeking damages of at least $7 million (approximately £5.6 million). Gaiman, known for his works such as “American Gods,” “The Sandman” comic series, and the children’s fantasy book “Coraline,” has seen several of his creations adapted into films and television shows in recent years.
In July, a podcast by Tortoise Media featured allegations from five women against him, four of whom were also included in the New York Magazine article. Following the publication of the article, Dark Horse Comics canceled upcoming projects involving Gaiman, and a UK stage adaptation of “Coraline” was also halted.
In response to the allegations in January, Gaiman expressed his shock at the stories circulating about him online. He noted, “As I read through this latest collection of accounts, there are moments I half-recognize and moments I don’t, descriptions of things that happened sitting beside things that emphatically did not happen.” He reiterated, “I’m far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever.”
Gaiman mentioned that he reviewed messages exchanged with his accusers, which he felt reflected “two people enjoying entirely consensual sexual relationships and wanting to see one another again.” He acknowledged that he “could have and should have done so much better,” admitting to being “emotionally unavailable while being sexually available, self-focused, and not as thoughtful as I could or should have been,” and recognized that he was “obviously careless with people’s hearts and feelings.” However, he maintained that “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.”
Representatives for Gaiman have been contacted for comments regarding the lawsuits.
