The anonymous woman who posted the first accusations against Armie Hammer on social media spoke up publicly.
“I thought he was going to kill me,” said the woman, called Effie, on Tuesday, during a press conference with her lawyer, Gloria Allred.
Effie is accusing Hammer of violent rape and physical abuse during his intermittent four-year relationship.
“On April 24, 2017, Armie Hammer raped me violently for more than four hours in Los Angeles,” said Effie, “during which he repeatedly hit my head against a wall, injuring my face. He also committed other acts of violence against me, which I did not consent to. “
Effie says that during the alleged rape, Hammer tapped her feet “so that they hurt” with every step she took. She says she tried to escape, “but he didn’t leave me”.
Hammer denies the rape charge. Hammer says his relationship with Effie, and all other women, was “completely consensual, discussed and agreed in advance and mutually participatory,” said his lawyer. Variety.
Effie, who is 24 and lives in Europe, did not reveal her full legal name during the press conference. So far, it is believed that she was anonymously the woman behind the Instagram account, “House of Effie”, who first brought up claims against Hammer. (During the press conference, Allred declined to comment if his client was behind the social media account.)
Effie says she was 20 when she met Hammer via Facebook. She says she “fell in love with him instantly” and the relationship progressed quickly with emotions running high. Looking back, she now sees “clear manipulation tactics” used by Hammer.
“He used to test my devotion to him,” said Effie, adding that Hammer became increasingly violent. “He abused me mentally, emotionally and sexually,” she said.
In response to Effie’s allegations, Hammer’s lawyer, Andrew Brettler of Lavely and Singer, released a statement to Variety, vehemently denying Effie’s rape and other allegations.
Along with the statement, Hammer’s lawyer sent a screenshot of the correspondence by text message, they say it’s between Hammer and Effie, where Hammer writes: “I won’t be able to get involved with 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 lawyer says the screenshot is “just one of hundreds” that Effie sent Mr. Hammer.
Although Hammer’s lawyer provided Effie’s full name, Variety chooses not to publish his surname, as he stated that he does not wish to disclose his full name during his press conference.
“Effie’s own correspondence with Mr. Hammer undermines and refutes her outrageous accusations. Recently, on July 18, 2020, [she] sent graphic texts to Mr. Hammer telling him what she wanted him to do with her. Mr. Hammer responded by making it clear that he did not want to maintain this type of relationship with her, ”said Brettler in a note obtained by Variety.
“It was never Mr. Hammer’s intention to embarrass or expose [Effie’s] fetishes or perverted sexual desires, but she has now escalated that issue to another level by hiring a civil lawyer to give a public press conference. With the truth on his side, Mr. Hammer appreciates the opportunity to clarify things ”, continues the statement. “From the first day, Mr. Hammer claims that all of his interactions with [Effie] – and all his other sexual partners in this regard – were completely consensual, discussed and agreed in advance and mutually participatory. [Effie’s] the search for attention and a reckless legal offer will only make it more difficult for the real victims of sexual violence to get the justice they deserve. “
More to come …