Neil Gaiman has denied the allegations that he sexually assaulted nine women.
Gaiman, the British fantasy author known for his comic book The Sandman, his children’s book Coraline, and his novels American Gods and Anansi Boys, was the subject of a Vulture report on Monday that recounted the stories of several women who have accused the author of assaulting them; two allege that he engaged in sexual acts with them in the presence of his young son. Some of the accusations had been previously reported on the podcast Master.
In a statement published on his website, Gaiman wrote, “I’m far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever.”
He wrote that his relationships with the women “seemed positive and happy on both sides.”
But, he wrote, “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.”
Kendra Stout, one of Gaiman’s accusers, shared a statement with the New York Times from some of the women who spoke to the Master podcast and to Vulture, reacting to Gaiman’s denials.
“We are disappointed to see the same non-apology that women in this situation have seen so many times before,” they said.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
