Sandman Creator Responds to Sexual Assault Claims: A Bold Denial

Neil Gaiman, the author of Sandman, has rejected allegations of sexual misconduct, stating he has “never participated in non-consensual sexual acts with anyone. Ever”.

The 64-year-old was accused on Monday by a total of eight women concerning sexual misconduct, four of whom had previously made claims.

On Tuesday, in a blog entry titled Breaking The Silence, Gaiman expressed that he read the allegations with “horror and dismay”.

He remarked: “I have remained silent until now, both to honor the individuals sharing their experiences and to avoid drawing further attention to a lot of misinformation.”

He further stated: “I have always attempted to be a private individual and believed that social media was an improper venue for discussing significant personal issues. I’ve now arrived at a stage where I think I ought to speak out.

“As I peruse this recent assortment of accounts, there are instances I partially recognize and instances I do not, with descriptions of happenings alongside things that categorically did not occur.

“I am far from perfect, yet I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever.”

The writer of fantasy graphic novels and science fiction – whose works Good Omens, American Gods, and The Sandman have been translated for television – was featured in a cover story by New York Magazine on Monday.

The publication and its website Vulture reported allegations from eight women, four of whom had also previously accused Gaiman of sexual assault in July 2024 on a Tortoise Media podcast.

One woman, who was babysitting Gaiman’s five-year-old child, claimed that he invited her to take a bath in his garden, joined her in the tub unclothed, requesting her to sit on his lap, and that he sexually assaulted her.

The British author shared that he revisited text messages from the period of the alleged incidents and felt they depicted “two individuals enjoying completely consensual sexual relationships”.

“When I was in those relationships, they appeared to be positive and satisfying for both parties,” he indicated.

He admitted that he was “reckless with others’ feelings and emotions” and could have “done significantly better”, but asserted that he does not “acknowledge there was any abuse”.

The author recognized that “not everyone will accept my words” and expressed his intention to be “doing my utmost to earn their trust, as well as the trust of my readers”.

He claimed some of the accusations “simply never took place” while others had been “manipulated” to “bear no connection to reality”, yet affirmed he would “accept responsibility for any mistakes I made”.

In January 2023, a report accusing Gaiman of sexual assault was filed, but the investigation was ultimately closed.

Following the emergence of the allegations, several of Gaiman’s film and television endeavors have been impacted.

The third season of Prime Video’s Good Omens will now consist of a single 90-minute episode, with Gaiman no longer participating.

Disney has halted production on its film interpretation of another Gaiman work, The Graveyard Book, while Netflix has cancelled Dead Boy Detectives, although it remains unclear whether this was associated with the allegations.

However, season two of The Sandman is still anticipated to be launched this year on Netflix, along with Prime Video’s adaptation of Anansi Boys.