‘The Sandman’ author Neil Gaiman faces rape charges by two affair partners

Neil Gaiman, one of the shining stars of the literary world, best known for modern-day classics such as ‘Good Omens’, ‘The Sandman’, ‘Coraline’ etc has been charged with sexual assault. Two women had accused the eminent author of rape. Gaiman had denied the allegations, claiming that all their encounters were consensual. He is currently being investigated by the New Zealand police.

According to British tabloid Tortoise Media, the allegations span two decades. The first woman, a 23-year-old named Scarlett, claimed that she was assaulted by Gaiman at his residence in Australia in 2022. She was employed as a nanny to his son.

According to Gaiman, the two only cuddled and got intimate in a bathtub with her explicit consent. Over the three weeks they had several encounters but he was always mindful of her consent. However, Scarlett alleged that he had forced her into degrading acts without her consent.

The second victim, a woman named K, revealed she had met the author at the age of 18, in Florida, in 2003. She started a romantic relationship with him when she was 20 and Gaiman was in his mid-40s. She claims, however, that she endured rough and painful sex that she "neither wanted nor enjoyed."

Gaiman has denied any unlawful behavior with K, expressing that he is disturbed by her allegations. According to the tabloid, Gaiman believes that K's accusations stem from regret over their relationship and asserts that Scarlett was experiencing a condition associated with false memories during their time together. However, this claim is not supported by her medical records or history.

Gaiman is featured on Time magazine's list of the world's 100 most influential people. Recognized for popularizing comics on a global scale, he has been hailed as "the most loved living writer." His works have been adapted into Netflix and Amazon mini-series, Hollywood films, and West End shows.

Gaiman was previously married to singer-songwriter Amanda Palmer. The two had an open marriage (they were free to date other people ) and parted their ways in 2022.