A woman who formerly dated Armie Hammer is accusing the star of ongoing abuse, including rape. In a virtual press conference organized by her attorney, Gloria Allred, a 24-year-old woman identified only as Effie claimed that Hammer “abused me mentally, emotionally, and sexually.†Effie went on to describe an alleged incident on April 24, 2017, when she claimed Hammer “violently raped me for over four hours in Los Angeles, during which he repeatedly slammed my head against a wall, bruising my face.†Hammer’s lawyer, Andrew Brettler, denied what he called “outrageous allegations†in a statement. “All of†Hammer’s interactions with Effie, Brettler said, “have been completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory.â€
Effie further claimed she “tried to get away but he wouldn’t let me†during the 2017 incident. “I thought that he was going to kill me,†she said. Allred added that her client “does have evidence which she believes supports her serious allegations,†and confirmed Effie gave the evidence to police. Allred would not comment on contact with a specific police department, only saying the allegations “would be in the jurisdiction of the LAPD.â€
In mid-January, the Instagram account @houseofeffie began posting messages allegedly from Hammer, dating back to 2016, describing fantasies of cannibalism and rape. Allred would not comment on the relationship between the account and her client. After the messages emerged, Hammer exited the film Shotgun Wedding and Paramount+ series The Offer, and was additionally dropped by his talent agency, WME. “I’m not responding to these bullshit claims but in light of the vicious and spurious online attacks against me, I cannot in good conscience now leave my children for four months to shoot a film in the Dominican Republic,†he told Variety in January of his departure from Shotgun Wedding. In early February, Brettler told Variety that allegations against Hammer were “patently untrue†and made the same claim as in his current statement, that Hammer’s interactions were “completely consensual.â€
In the press conference and in a statement that followed, Effie said she met Hammer over Facebook in 2016. She was 20 years old, and said their “relationship progressed rapidly.†“He would often test my devotion to him, slyly removing and crossing my boundaries, as he became increasingly more violent,†Effie said. After the alleged 2017 incident, she said she “lived in fear†of him. “For a long time, I tried to dismiss his actions towards me as a twisted form of love,†she continued. Effie said she stayed in touch with Hammer through 2020. She additionally described bouts of crying, night terrors, and flashbacks that “were so excruciating, they made me feel there was no way out but to take my own life.â€
Hammer’s lawyer, Brettler, referenced sexual text messages allegedly between Effie and Hammer through July 2020, saying their messaging “undermines and refutes†Effie’s claims. “It was never Mr. Hammer’s intention to embarrass or expose [Effie’s] fetishes or kinky sexual desires,†Brettler added. “With the truth on his side, Mr. Hammer welcomes the opportunity to set the record straight.â€
Allred said other alleged victims of Hammer’s have reached out to Effie. “We do think it is important that an investigation of these serious allegations is conducted,†she said. “We look forward to learning if Mr. Hammer, rather than his representatives, will be willing to assist investigators in their search for the truth.â€
Update, 5:40 p.m.: Sex-crimes detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating Hammer, the Los Angeles Times reported shortly after Effie publicized her allegations against the actor. A spokesperson said detectives took a report from a woman on February 3 but could not give more information. However, a source confirmed to the paper that the woman who made the report was Effie, who accused Hammer of rape and abuse in a press conference.