Amanda Palmer, the ex-wife of Neil Gaiman, has denied claims of human trafficking alleged in a lawsuit by their former nanny filed last week (February 3).
In an Instagram post shared on Friday (February 7), Palmer – formerly of dark cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls – provided a statement about the allegations by Scarlett Pavlovich against her in the lawsuit, which followed a New York Magazine piece last month titled There Is No Safe Word.
The allegations were first featured in a 2024 podcast by Tortoise Media. Pavlovich is named in this article due to identifying herself in the New York Magazine piece.
It includes comments from multiple women who accuse Gaiman of inappropriate and abusive behaviour, and it also questions Palmer about her knowledge of his alleged actions. Pavlovich worked for the pair as a live-in nanny to their children and alleged that Gaiman raped her on multiple occasions while she was working for him.
Last month (January 15), a representative for Palmer told NME that she was “profoundly disturbed by the allegations that Mr. Gaiman has abused several women”, and that she “has no comment on these allegations” in the piece.
Her new statement began: “I thank you all deeply for continuing to respect my recent request for privacy as I navigate this extremely difficult moment. I must protect my young child and his right to privacy.”
However, she continued, she stated that she “will not respond to the specific allegations being made” except “to say that I deny the allegations and will respond in due course.”
“My heart goes out to all survivors,” she added.
Palmer first met Gaiman in 2008. They married in 2011 before announcing their divorce in 2022. They have one son together.
The lawsuit opens with the statement: “This claim arises out of Defendant Neil Gaiman’s sexual abuse of Plaintiff, and his wife Amanda Palmer’s role in procuring and presenting Plaintiff to Gaiman for such abuse”.
Elsewhere in the suit, it alleges that “Gaiman engaged in many nonconsensual sex acts with Scarlett,” adding: “Those acts were abusive and demeaning… Scarlett endured those acts because she would lose her job, housing, and promised future career support if she did not”.
Previously, representatives for Neil Gaiman did not respond to NME’s request for comment, although he published a post on January 14 via his website denying the accusations.
He wrote: “I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever”. He later added: “Some of the horrible stories now being told simply never happened, while others have been so distorted from what actually took place that they bear no relationship to reality”.
This is a developing story.
For more help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.