Who is Scarlett Pavlovich? Sandman author Neil Gaiman faces new s*xual assault allegations from former babysitter

British author Neil Gaiman, who wrote Sandman and Good Omens, is facing new s*xual assault allegations. On Monday, January 13, 2025, Vulture published an article (by Lila Shapiro) titled, "There Is No Safe Word" detailing alleged experiences of eight women with the writer.

Trigger Warning: The following article contains graphic references to s*xual assault. Reader discretion is advised.

The article is built upon allegations made first on the Tortoise Media podcast Master in July 2024. The podcast features s*xual assault claims made by five women, four of whom were interviewed for the New York Magazine piece.

One of the allegations came from Scarlett Pavlovich, a former nanny who worked for Neil Gaiman and ex-wife Amanda Palmer. She babysat the couple's five-year-old son.

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Scarlett Pavlovich first met Neil Gaiman's ex-wife Amanda Palmer when she was 22

According to the Vulture report, Scarlett Pavlovich was 22 when she reportedly met Amanda Palmer (then 44) in New Zealand. The pair struck up a friendship, and the latter asked her to babysit her and Neil Gaiman's son. At the time, Palmer and Gaiman, who married in 2011, had separated. Pavlovich was to mind the 5-year-old at Gaiman’s Waiheke Island home in New Zealand.

Per the article, Pavlovich recalled the first time she met the writer, which ended in an alleged non-consensual s*xual encounter. At the time, while waiting for his son to return from a playdate, Gaiman allegedly asked Pavlovich to take a bath in a tub in his backyard. He later joined her in the tub naked and asked her to sit in his lap.

"I said 'no,'" Pavlovich added, "I said, 'I'm not confident with my body.' He said, 'It's okay—it’s only me. Just relax. Just have a chat.'"

At one point, Pavlovich alleged that the writer penetrated her with his finger and even attempted to have a**l s*x, which she refused. She claimed he even asked her if he could "come on (her) face," which, despite her declining, he did so anyway. Quoting Pavlovich, Vulture wrote:

"He said, 'Call me master, and I’ll come.' He said, 'Be a good girl. You’re a good little girl.'"

Scarlett Pavlovich claimed this continued throughout the time she babysat for the family. She described another incident where Neil Gaiman allegedly forced her to perform oral s*x so violently that she vomited. Pavlovich claimed he forced her to lick it.

Another time, she was reportedly forced to endure a**l s*x using butter as a lubricant (after beating her with a belt). Following the act, he allegedly called her "slave" and ordered her to "clean him up." Despite her protests and even stating it was unhygienic, Pavlovich had to allegedly "lick (her) own sh*t."

Pavlovich alleged that at one point, Neil Gaiman's son began calling her "slave" and asked her to address him as "master." Pavlovich detailed another incident at a hotel in Auckland when the Gaiman allegedly slept with her while his son was in the room. He reportedly continued to talk with him during the act.

Per Vulture, Pavlovich confided in Palmer and even filed a police report. However, it didn't lead anywhere as Palmer declined to comment and Gaiman shared a written statement. Eventually, she was sent an NDA and paid a total of $9,200 in nine separate payments.

Neil Gaiman has denied all accusations.