Neil Gaiman, the famous fantasy author, has denied the sexual assault allegations made against him. A recent court filing includes text messages between Gaiman and Scarlett Pavlovich, a 26-year-old art history student. In these messages, Pavlovich thanks Gaiman for a โconsensualโ bath they had together. Gaiman insists that no assault took place. He strongly denies the accusations.
Lawsuit filed against Gaiman
Pavlovich filed lawsuits against Gaiman last month. She claims he sexually assaulted her and caused emotional harm. Pavlovich is asking for $7 million in damages. The lawsuits were filed in three states: Massachusetts, New York, and Wisconsin. These are the places where Gaiman currently lives. In addition, Pavlovich named Gaimanโs ex-wife, Amanda Palmer, in the lawsuits. Gaiman says the accusations are false.
Gaimanโs Denial and Response
In the court documents, Gaiman completely denies the allegations. He says he never had sex with Pavlovich. He admits to engaging in โconsensual physical intimacyโ with her during a brief relationship in 2022. However, he calls her a โfantasistโ and says she made up the abuse claims. Gaiman insists her story is not true. He also describes the accusations as a distortion of the facts.
The controversial bath incident
One of the most talked-about allegations involves a bath incident that took place in February 2022. Pavlovich says that Neil Gaiman assaulted her during this bath. However, Gaiman tells a different story. He claims the bath was consensual. He invited Pavlovich to join him in the bath, and they talked about consent. According to Gaiman, Pavlovich told him she preferred older partners. She also said she was open to having a sexual relationship with him. They cuddled and kissed in the bath. However, Gaiman insists they did not have sex. He says at no point did Pavlovich suggest she was uncomfortable with the situation.
Text messages reveal different story
The court documents include text messages between Gaiman and Pavlovich. These messages were exchanged between February and December 2022. In one message, Pavlovich thanks Gaiman for the โlovelyโ bath. In another, she asks if they can have another bath. She says she is โconsumed by thoughts of youโ and even refers to him as her โmaster.โ In yet another message, Pavlovich offers to visit him and then leave early the next morning. She writes that she is โat your serviceโ and says Gaiman has made her a โgreedy girl.โ These messages contradict the claims she later made about the bath incident.
Gaimanโs response to the allegations
Gaimanโs legal team has strongly denied the allegations made by Pavlovich. They argue that her claims are false and that they have no evidence to support them. The filing includes information about a police investigation in New Zealand. The police investigated the same allegations when both Gaiman and Pavlovich lived there. The investigation found no merit in her claims and did not file any charges against Gaiman. His legal team says the accusations are completely fabricated. They argue that any sexual activity between Gaiman and Pavlovich was consensual.
Previous interviews and claims
Pavlovich first made her allegations public in a podcast in July 2024. She claimed that Gaiman assaulted her in front of his young son. Later, she gave an interview to New York Magazine where she repeated her story. However, the text messages presented in court contradict her account. In the messages, Pavlovich describes the relationship as consensual and says the intimacy was โwonderful.โ She even insists that the sexual activity was โconsensualโ and that Neil Gaiman had not assaulted her.
Gaimanโs legal team is now asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit. They argue that Pavlovichโs accusations are false and that there is no credible evidence to support them. The police investigation in New Zealand cleared Gaiman of any wrongdoing. Despite the serious nature of the allegations, the case is still ongoing. The truth behind the accusations remains in dispute, and the legal battle is far from over.
