Armie Hammer is under investigation for sexual assault after a woman accused him of rape.
The woman, a 24-year-old named only as Effie, made the allegations during a virtual press conference held by high-profile US lawyer Gloria Allred on Thursday.
Hammer has denied the allegations, with his lawyer Andrew Brettler describing them as “outrageous”, and said his client “welcomes the opportunity to set the record straight”.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to the PA news agency it had opened a sexual assault investigation over the alleged rape, said to have taken place in 2017.
The accuser broke down while reading a prepared statement on Thursday, alleging she first met Hammer, 34, on Facebook in 2016.
She said she had been 20 at the time, adding: “I fell in love with him instantly.”
Effie said Hammer was “employing manipulation tactics in order to exert control over me” and accused him of abusing her “mentally, emotionally and sexually”.
She said: “On April 24, 2017, Armie Hammer raped me for over four hours in Los Angeles, during which he repeatedly slapped my head against a wall, bruising my face.
“During those four hours, I tried to get away and he wouldn’t let me. I thought that he was going to kill me. He then left with no concern for my wellbeing. I was completely in shock and I couldn’t believe that someone I loved did that to me.
“I tried so hard to justify his actions, even to the point of responding to him in a way that did not reflect my true feelings.
“During and since this attack, I have lived in fear of him. And for a long time I tried to dismiss his actions towards me as a twisted form of love.”
She was left suicidal by the alleged rape, she said, adding that she feels “immense guilt” in not speaking out sooner.
Hammer’s lawyer has denied the allegations in a statement on behalf of his client.
He included a text, allegedly from the accuser, claiming it “undermines and refutes” the rape allegation.
Mr Brettler’s statement read: “As recently as July 18, 2020, [the accuser] 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. The screenshot below is just one of hundreds (the accuser) sent to Mr Hammer.
“It was never Mr Hammer’s intention to embarrass or expose [the accuser] 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.
“From day one, Mr Hammer has maintained that all of his interactions with [the accuser] – and every other sexual partner of his for that matter – have been completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory. [The accuser’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.”
In response to Hammer’s legal team sharing a text allegedly from the accuser, Ms Allred said: “I challenge Armie Hammer to present all, not some, of his communications with Effie to the Los Angeles Police Department and answer all of their questions directly rather than through his lawyers. ”
When asked if Effie would be pressing charges, Ms Allred, known for taking on cases involving women’s rights, said: “Effie is providing what she thinks might be relevant to law enforcement and then it is for law enforcement and the prosecutor to decide if there is sufficient evidence to pursue it.
“I will only say that Effie has the courage to co-operate in any investigation that may be taking place.”
The Los Angeles Police Department told PA it has opened a sexual assault investigation after it was contacted by an attorney “representing a female in the community” on February 3.
Armie Hammer is best known for his roles in films including Call Me By Your Name and The Social Network.
- Rape Crisis services for women and girls who have been raped or have experienced sexual violence - 0808 802 9999
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