MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A girl from New Zealand has filed three civil lawsuits towards best-selling British writer Neil Gaiman and his spouse, accusing Gaiman of repeatedly sexually assaulting her whereas she was working because the couple’s babysitter and nanny.
Scarlett Pavlovich filed the lawsuits in federal courtroom in Wisconsin, Massachusetts and New York on Monday.
The Related Press doesn’t establish individuals who say they’ve been sexually assaulted except they publicly establish themselves. Pavlovich recognized herself in an interview with New York Journal, which revealed an article in January detailing allegations of assault, abuse and coercion leveled by eight ladies.
Pavlovich alleges within the lawsuits that she was homeless and dwelling on a seaside when she met Palmer in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2020. Pavlovich was 22 years previous on the time.
In accordance with the lawsuits, Gaiman’s spouse, Amanda Palmer, invited Pavlovich to the couple’s dwelling on Waiheke Island. Pavlovich started operating errands for the couple, babysitting their son and serving to with chores, ultimately changing into the couple’s nanny.
Gaiman first sexually assaulted her the evening they met in February 2022, in keeping with the lawsuits. The assaults continued however she saved working for the couple as a result of she was broke and homeless and Gaiman had informed her he would assist her writing profession, in keeping with the lawsuits.
When she informed Palmer in regards to the assaults, Palmer informed her that greater than a dozen ladies had informed her up to now that Gaiman had sexually abused them, in keeping with the lawsuits.
The assaults didn’t cease till Pavlovich informed Palmer she was going to kill herself, the lawsuits mentioned. She left the household and have become homeless once more, though the paperwork say Gaiman ultimately paid her for her work caring for the couple’s baby and helped cowl her hire for a couple of months.
Palmer knew of Gaiman’s sexual needs and offered Pavalovich to him realizing he would assault her, in accordance the lawsuits. Pavlovich alleges Gaiman and Palmer violated federal human trafficking prohibitions and seeks not less than $7 million in damages.
After the New York Journal article was revealed, Gaiman launched an announcement in January denying he had ever engaged in non-consensual intercourse. The allegations of 4 of the ladies had been beforehand broadcast in July in a Tortoise Media podcast.
“I’m far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever,” Gaiman posted on the social media platform Tumblr.
Representatives for Gaiman and Palmer didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark Monday and on-line courtroom information didn’t record attorneys representing them within the fits. Pavlovich’s attorneys acknowledged within the filings that Gaiman, writer of such bestsellers as “Coraline” and “The Sandman” sequence, is a resident of Menomonie, Wisconsin. However they’re not sure if Palmer resides in Massachusetts or New York.
Pavlovich informed New York Journal that she filed a police report in January 2023 accusing Gaiman of sexual assault. Police haven’t confirmed whether or not Gaiman was ever beneath investigation.
Gaiman has labored with quite a few publishers through the years. Two of them, HarperCollins and W.W. Norton, have mentioned they don’t have any plans to launch his books sooner or later. Others, together with Bloomsbury, have thus far declined remark.
Darkish Horse Comics introduced in January that it could not launch its illustrated sequence primarily based on Gaiman’s novel, “Anansi Boys.” The seventh of eight editions was launched earlier that month.
Disney has paused a deliberate adaptation of Gaiman’s “The Graveyard Book,” whereas Netflix continues to be scheduled to launch a second season primarily based on “The Sandman.”
