Neil Gaiman has denied the sexual assault allegations made against him, saying he “[doesn’t] accept there was any abuse”.
Gaiman was accused of sexual assault by two women earlier this year. He denied both allegations, but subsequently offered to step down from the final season of Good Omens. This week, a new report by Vulture brought further details of alleged sexual assault against him.
The author, comic book creator, screenwriter and voice actor created the Amazon Prime Video’s Good Omens as an adaption of his and Terry Pratchett’s 1990 novel of the same name.
It was previously reported that production on the third and last season had been suspended in light of the first claims of abuse.
Now, Gaiman has denied the accusations in a lengthy new post on his Journal profile, titled ‘Breaking The Silence’.
In the entry, the author of The Sandman claimed that “some of the horrible stories now being told simply never happened”. However, he did admit his “regret” over being “careless” and “selfish” with his actions.
“I am prepared to take responsibility for any missteps I made,” Gaiman wrote.
The post began: “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.”
Neil Gaiman. CREDIT: John Nacion/Getty
Gaiman continued: “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.”
He added: “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.”
Gaiman went on to say that he had “spent some months now taking a long, hard look at who I have been and how I have made people feel”, and explained that he was “learning” and “trying to do the work needed”.
But he said this was “not an overnight process”, adding: “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.”
Gaiman wrote: “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.”
The Vulture article includes comments from multiple women who accuse the writer of inappropriate and abusive behaviour. It also questions his ex-wife Amanda Palmer about her knowledge of his alleged actions.
Allegations of sexual assault by Gaiman first emerged in 2024, when Tortoise Media launched the podcast Master. During the series, five women accused the writer of sexual assault and unwanted sexual advances.
The Tortoise article in which Gaiman was accused of sexual assault stated that he “strongly denies any allegations of non-consensual sex with the women and adds New Zealand police did not take up his offer of assistance over one woman’s complaint in 2022, which, he says, reflects its lack of substance”.
Earlier this year, a petition was launched to bring back the Netflix series Dead Boy Detectives – based on Gaiman’s comic book series – after it was axed in the wake of the sexual abuse claims.
The third season of Good Omens was in the early stages of pre-production and had been earmarked to start filming in Scotland this month. The fantasy comedy series was renewed for a final season in December 2023.
For more help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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