Neil Gaiman Denies Assault Allegations, Calls Them A 'Smear Campaign'
Gaiman posted a Feb. 2 statement saying emails, texts and video evidence contradict claims tied to a Feb. 3, 2025 lawsuit by Scarlett Pavlovich.
Overview
Neil Gaiman, 65, posted a Feb. 2 statement on his website denying sexual assault allegations, calling them a "smear campaign" and saying emails, texts and video evidence contradict the claims.
Scarlett Pavlovich filed a lawsuit on Feb. 3, 2025 alleging Gaiman repeatedly raped her and engaged in human trafficking while she was a live-in nanny in New Zealand, a claim Gaiman disputes, court filings show.
In a March 2025 court filing, Gaiman's lawyers asked a judge to dismiss Pavlovich's suit and submitted alleged WhatsApp messages, including a March 26, 2022 screenshot in which Pavlovich wrote "It was consensual," court records show.
Publishers and producers including Dark Horse Comics and DC Comics halted projects tied to Gaiman and a stage production of Coraline was canceled, reflecting industry distancing from his work, industry notices and reports show.
U.S. District Court Judge James D. Peterson dismissed Pavlovich's lawsuit with prejudice on Oct. 3, and Pavlovich's attorneys have appealed while exploring whether to refile or pursue claims in New Zealand, court records show.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this coverage neutrally: they report allegations and denials, cite the judge's dismissal with prejudice and ongoing appeal, and use direct quotes for charged language (Gaiman's 'smear campaign', his 'nightmarish' year). Sources' reporting avoids loaded terms, instead giving legal context, prior reporting and corporate reactions as factual detail.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Pavlovich alleges Gaiman repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted her while she worked as their nanny in New Zealand in 2022, and that Palmer knowingly procured her for the abuse, violating human trafficking laws under the TVPRA, seeking $7 million in damages.[1]
Gaiman denied the sexual assault allegations in a February 2 statement on his website, calling them a 'smear campaign' and stating that emails, texts, and video evidence contradict the claims; his lawyers sought dismissal with WhatsApp messages showing Pavlovich saying 'It was consensual'.[0]
U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice on October 3, 2025; Pavlovich's attorneys have appealed and are considering refiling or pursuing claims in New Zealand.
Publishers like Dark Horse Comics and DC Comics halted projects, and a stage production of Coraline was canceled due to the allegations.
Pavlovich, then 22 and homeless in Auckland, New Zealand in 2020, met Amanda Palmer on a beach, who invited her to their Waiheke Island home for errands, babysitting, and eventually as a live-in nanny.
History
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