Neil Gaiman Says Texts With Rape Accuser Show ‘Enthusiastic,' Consensual Relationship: ‘She Is a Fantasist'
Neil Gaiman answered sexual assault and trafficking allegations made by former live-in nanny Scarlett Pavlovich on Tuesday, filing a motion for dismissal that included text messages he says show they engaged in an 'enthusiastic' and consensual sexual relationship.
'None of Pavlovich's claims are true,' Gaiman wrote in the motion filed in a Wisconsin federal court. 'She is a fantasist who has fabricated a tale of abuse against me and Ms. Palmer.'
Gaiman provided screenshots from a number of WhatsApp messages in hopes of furthering his point. The first was from February 2022 – shortly after the pair's first interaction in a bathtub in New Zealand.
'Thank you for a lovely lovely night – wow x,' Pavlovich said.
She followed up a couple days later saying, ''Let me know If you want me to run a bath… I am consumed by thoughts of you, the things you will do to me. I'm so hungry.'
Pavlovich filed a complaint against Gaiman and Amanda Palmer on Feb. 3, accusing his now-estranged wife of 'procuring and presenting Plaintiff to Gaiman for such abuse,' including physical harm, emotional distress and disturbing non-consensual sex acts, pushing her to become suicidal.
'The Defendants knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, and/or obtained Scarlett for labor or services while knowing she would be forced to engage in sexual acts as a condition of receiving the pay and housing they promised her,' the suit stated. Pavlovich 'endured those acts because she would lose her job, housing, and promised future career support if she did not.'
Gaiman's filing Tuesday also included messages where he initially confronted Pavlovich about her rape accusations and plans to 'MeToo' him.
'Oh my God. Neil! I never said that,' she wrote. 'But I'm horrified by your message – me too you? Rape? WHAT? This is the first I have heard of this. Wow. I need a moment to digest your message… I have never used the word rape, I'm just so shocked, I honestly don't know what to say.'
Later texts show Gaiman expressing concern he was being painted as a 'monster' when he assumed their relationship was consenting. Pavlovich's responses seemed to provide reassurances she thought the same.
'This is beyond out of control and as I said I only have fondness and kindness for you,' she wrote. 'It was consensual – how many times do I have to f–king tell everyone.'
Five women initially accused Gaiman of sexual misconduct as part of the podcast series 'Master: The Allegations Against Neil Gaiman.' Four more women later shared their experiences with with New York Magazine.
Since the first allegations came out, the Netflix series 'The Sandman' has been canceled and a planned third season of 'Good Omens,' which is also based on Gaiman's writings, has been significantly shortened. He was also dropped by his publisher, Dark Horse Comics.
The post Neil Gaiman Says Texts With Rape Accuser Show 'Enthusiastic,' Consensual Relationship: 'She Is a Fantasist' appeared first on TheWrap.
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