Businesswoman Paris Hilton appeared before the House Ways and Means Committee to address reform in juvenile treatment facilities. At 43 years old, she recounted her traumatic experience of alleged abuse in these centers, urging legislators of the United States Congress to take urgent action to protect vulnerable children.
Hilton, known for her role in the reality series The Simple Lifedescribed how at age 16 he was “torn from her bed in the middle of the night” and transferred to various facilities for adolescents. Within these centers, according to her testimony, she was “Force-fed with medication and sexually abused by staff”.
Furthermore, he pointed out that For two years he was not allowed to speakmove freely or even look out a window.
The American celebrity, who has been an active advocate for the rights of children in juvenile facilities, detailed the abusive conditions to which she was subjected.I was dragged through the halls, stripped naked, and thrown into solitary confinement.“, he said in his testimony, trying to expose the crudeness of the methods used in these centers.
Paris Hilton accused the juvenile facility industry of being more interested in financial gain than in the protection and care of the children in their care. He stated that His parents were “completely deceived”they were lied to and manipulated” by this for-profit industry about the inhumane treatment she suffered.
In her speech, she urged lawmakers to pass the “Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act” bill. This legislation seeks to ensure that troubled teen industry be managed at the federal level, implementing more transparent and accountable abuse reporting systems.
The socialite’s testimony comes after a recent report from the Department of Health and Human Services that revealed that many American states do not keep adequate records of the treatment that children receive in these facilities nor do they record cases of abuse. This highlights the need for stricter and more efficient regulation in the supervision of these centres.
Hilton has led several protests against the Provo Canyon School in Utaha boarding school he attended and rated as “the worst of the worse”. In a video of The New York Times 2022, recounted how staff without medical credentials performed so-called “medical examinations” on her and other teenage girls in the early hours of the morning.
The former reality star has previously shared her experience through a book, a documentary, and interviews. In the 2020 YouTube documentary This Is Paris, also accused school staff of abusing her. “If you are a child in the system, listen to my words: I see you. I believe you. I know what you’re going through and I won’t give up on you.” he said in his statement to the committee, addressing youth currently in the foster care system.
In her presentation, she not only sought justice for herself, but also stood up for other children who may be suffering similar abuse. Her call to action points to stricter oversight and implementation of measures that truly protect youth in juvenile treatment facilities.
In addition to her activism, Hilton is known as a businesswoman, influencer, podcaster, and DJ.
Camp Hell: Teenage Nightmarea documentary directed by Liza Williams, premiered in Netflix on December 27, 2023. The production exposes the Abuses at Provo Canyon School Corrective Therapy Camp —where she was confined Paris Hilton— in Utah, United States, between the 1990s and early 2000s.
The film features testimonies from former students who report having suffered grueling physical labor, deprivation of food and water, physical and verbal punishment, and alleged sexual abuse by staff.
Through interviews with survivors, archival images and audio recordings, it portrays the conditions faced by teenagers sent to this center, some with minor behavioral problems.
