The anonymous woman who first made allegations about Armie Hammer on social media has come forward publicly.
“I thought that he was going to kill me,” the woman, named Effie, said through tears on Thursday during a press conference with her attorney, Gloria Allred. Effie is accusing Hammer of violent rape and physical abuse, during their on-and-off four-year relationship from 2016 to 2020.
“On April 24, 2017, Armie Hammer violently raped me for over four hours in Los Angeles, during which he repeatedly slapped my head against a wall, bruising my face,” Effie said. “He also committed other acts of violence against me to which I did not consent.”
Crying uncontrollably at the virtual press conference, Effie says during the alleged rape, Hammer beat her feet “so they would hurt” with every step she took. She says she tried to get away, “but he wouldn’t let me.”
“He then left with no concern for my well being. I was completely in shock,” Effie said.
Along with a statement strongly denying the rape allegation, Hammer’s attorney, Andrew Brettler of Lavely & Singer, sent a screenshot of text message correspondence they say is between Hammer and Effie, in which Hammer texts, “I am not going to be able to engage in you in that specific way right now. It never ends well. We can talk and be friends, but I can’t do that.”
Hammer’s attorney says the screenshot is “just one of hundreds” Effie sent to Hammer.
“Effie’s own correspondence with Mr. Hammer undermines and refutes her outrageous allegations. As recently as July 18, 2020, [she] sent graphic texts to Mr. Hammer telling him what she wanted him to do to her. Mr. Hammer responded making it clear that he did not want to maintain that type of relationship with her,” Brettler said in a statement.
“It was never Mr. Hammer’s intention to embarrass or expose [Effie’s] fetishes or kinky sexual desires, but she has now escalated this matter to another level by hiring a civil lawyer to host a public press conference. With the truth on his side, Mr. Hammer welcomes the opportunity to set the record straight,” the statement continues. “From day one, Mr. Hammer has maintained that all of his interactions with [Effie] — and every other sexual partner of his for that matter — have been completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory. [Effie’s] attention seeking and ill-advised legal bid will only make it more difficult for real victims of sexual violence to get the justice they deserve.”
Shortly after the press conference, Variety confirmed that Hammer is being investigated by th(e LAPD.
“We can confirm that Armie Hammer is the main suspect in an alleged sexual assault investigation that was initiated Feb. 3 of this year,” an LAPD spokesperson said.
Effie, who is 24 and lives in Europe, did not disclose her full legal name during the press conference. Up until now, it is believed she has been the woman behind the Instagram account “House of Effie,” which first surfaced claims against Hammer. (During the press conference, Allred would not comment on whether her client was behind the social media account.)
Effie says she was 20 when she met Hammer via Facebook in 2016. She says she “fell in love with him instantly,” and the relationship progressed rapidly with emotions running high. Looking back, she now sees “clear manipulation tactics” used by Hammer, explaining to reporters that throughout the years, as the relationship continued, she “tried to dismiss his actions as a twisted form of love.”
“He would often test my devotion to him,” Effie said, adding that Hammer became increasingly violent. “He abused me mentally, emotionally and sexually,” she said.
(Excerpt) Read more in: Variety