Jenny Evans, 19, Abergavenny, Wales. After appearing in the darkly comic cult film “Twin Town” — released in ’97, just as Britpop was charting — she suddenly found herself at the intersection of celebrity and PTSD. Though Evans had been raised in a very loving household, she saw herself—as an empowered young woman—as truly the master of her own fate. Then her life took a horrific turn that totally changed her definition of power. She was the victim of a sexual assault.
After moving from her mother’s household in Wales to London, Evans looked to find some direction. As much as we wanted it to be, this move was more an escape than a step forward. In this concrete wilderness, she learned the glamor of stardom. Simultaneously, she was confronted with the darker side of exploitation.
The initial attack occurred as she was sleeping on a couch after working an overnight shift. It was during this vulnerable moment that a manager raped her. This often invisible, traumatic experience fractured her newfound sense of independence. Reflecting on her situation, Evans stated, “I just wanted to know what the fuck happened. This ball of fear in my gut turned into anger. I just went, this is not OK. I’m done. This is not OK.”
In the aftermath of these attacks, she sought to process her grief through a deeply personal letter to her friend, Rachel. In it, she described the attacks and identified “The Famous Man” who had raped her. That letter turned out to be an incredibly cathartic powerful release. To many, it stood as a grim symbol of the pervasive danger women face in the entertainment industry.
Though Evans, at first, experienced the elation of an exciting new acting career, her reality quickly plummeted into a more sinister place. She recounted, “One assault is bad luck, two is careless – no matter the context – three, or more, you are now an undefendable, fantasist, lunatic slut.” To her, that sentiment embodied her fight against society’s view of what it means to be a victim.
Though her experiences were painful, Evans was able to find new direction with the power of journalism. She had participated in a masterclass taught by investigative journalist Nick Davies. He was getting ready to conduct an investigation into the misconduct in British journalism. In the course of her reporting, she got photocopies of key notes from private investigator Glenn Mulcaire’s notebooks. This revelation only served to radicalize her view of the media’s corrupt tendencies.
Evans’ life was turned upside down yet again when a family member between evicted and an eviction fell on Evans herself. That grief was she just felt as though she was really driven by that grief for justice. In 2020 she moved some of her newspapers payout into her legal training. Even at 95, this decision demonstrated her incredible commitment to creating progress.
For 20 years, she found success as a filmmaker. Through films like “One Day” and “False Creek,” she focused the lens on essential social issues such as the refugee crisis and homelessness. Her own experience with phone hacking from tabloids ended up being the other dimension in her even more complicated story. Evans, who before this had no idea what the phone number associated with Mulcaire next to her name was, had an inkling that one reason was because of her frequent address changes.
The more I learned about the tabloids, the more terrified I became. Their reach, power, corruption, ruthlessness, and deep-seated misogyny conspired to keep me overwhelmed. This moment led to her increasing anxiety about the role of media on individual lives.
Reflecting on her journey and growth, Evans shared an important lesson: “It’s just to remind me that things matter less when you give a bit of time and space to them, and to not get so caught up in the moment.” Her capacity to find stillness at the center of a storm reveals the deep resilience she’s developed over the years.
Jenny Evans has alchemized her experiences into an inspiring and influential mission. She wants to shine a light on the most urgent challenges facing people today – and everyone in our communities tomorrow. She recalls Davies encouraging her during their investigations: “We must stand up to the bullies, if we can, Jen,” he said. “We can stand up to them together. If you still feel you can.