The author of British fantasy, Neil Gaiman, has been accused of human trafficking, sexual abuse, aggression and rape in a lawsuit filed against him and wife Amanda Palmer for his former babysitter.
The nanny, Scarlett Pavlovich, alleges in a lawsuit filed in a federal court in Wisconsin on Monday that Gaiman raped her brutally and repeatedly assaulted her sexually while working for the unpaid couple. Pavlovich also accused Palmer of Trafficking in the demand and said that Palmer was aware of the abuse he faced in Gaiman's hands and did nothing to stop him.
The demand details a series of degrading sexual acts that gaiman supposedly made in Pavlovich without consent while providing services of children and babysitters for the couple's son in 2022.
“Gaiman repeatedly and emotionally abused Scarlett, violating her vaginally and anically, humilling her, forcing her to drive sex in front of Gaiman's son and forcing her to touch and lick the feces and urine,” says the complaint. Gaiman called Pavlovich “slave” and ordered him to call him “teacher,” according to the complaint.
The lawsuit states that the couple intentionally retained Pavlovich's payment to keep it as an “economic host.”
“Gaiman and Palmer intended to have Pavlovich trapped, vulnerable and without money, because that would leave her without a real opportunity to defend or escape,” says the complaint. “It worked.”
Gaiman and Palmer could not be contacted immediately to comment. The couple separated in 2020 and is involved in a battle of divorce and custody.
Gaiman has previously denied all accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior in a blog post shared on its website on January 15, after a story published by the New York magazine that details the statements of sexual assault made by eight women, including Pavlovich , against the acclaimed author.
“When you review everything that really happened instead of what is alleged, I do not accept that there is any abuse,” Gaiman wrote. “To repeat, I have never participated in a sexual activity not agreed with anyone.”
Gaiman has sold more than 50 million copies of his books worldwide, several of which have been adapted for film and television. In response to the accusations of New York magazine, the Dark Horse Comics publishing house announced that he would no longer print his works “American Gods” and “Good Omens” and canceled her comics series “Anansi Boys”.
Pavlovich's demand that Gaiman has a history of inappropriate sexual behavior of decades that he has worked to hide.
“Gaiman has held several agreements to provide compensation to women who have victimized, in some cases, for hundreds of thousands of dollars,” says the complaint.
The demand alleges that Palmer, an American singer and composer, was very aware of his abuse history and did nothing to protect Pavlovich after introducing her to Gaiman. He also alleges that she knew that Pavlovich was economically insecure, a survivor of sexual abuse and had important mental health challenges.
The demand against the couple was presented in Wisconsin, where Gaiman has a residence. Pavlovich is simultaneously demanding from Palmer in New York and Massachusetts, based on the belief that Palmer has a residence in one of these states. That case will proceed in the Palmer's choice district, according to the complaint.
Pavlovich met Palmer in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2020, when Pavlovich was 22 years old, according to the complaint.
Pavlovich had recently lost his home and had been sleeping on the beach. Sometimes he was sent for Palmer and performed care of children and homes, all without compensation, according to the complaint.
Pavlovich alleges that Gaiman, then 61, raped her for the first time in February 2022 when he was working for the couple as a babysitter.
After the first alleged rape, Palmer offered Pavlovich a position like a babysitter who takes care of his son in the houses of Palmer and Gaiman on Waiheke Island, near Auckland. Pavlovich was insecure of housing at that time, desperate for a safe job and an affordable place to live, according to the complaint.
Gaiman, 64, supposedly promised to use his “tremendous influence of the industry” to promote Pavlovich's career. She accepted the work.
The alleged rape and sexual abuse continued for several months, everything while Pavlovich continued working as a nanny without compensation.
They did not pay him until several months after he finished working for the couple, at which time he had been hospitalized for his suicidal ideation, according to the complaint. The complaint establishes that Gaiman's abuse is the culprit of his suicidal thoughts.
Pavlovich is looking for compensatory and punitive damage in an amount that will be determined in the trial, but that it is believed to exceed $ 1 million, according to the complaint.
