Paris Hilton has testified to the US Congress about the alleged childhood abuse she suffered at the Provo Canyon School when she was a teenager.
The heiress has called for a change to youth residential facilities while sharing her own experience with the US congressional committee.
The 43-year-old first spoke out about her alleged experience at the facilities in 2020, in her YouTube Originals documentary ‘This Is Paris’.
Speaking to the committee on Wednesday, she detailed being taken in the middle of the night at age 16 and taken to a facility where she experienced physical and sexual abuse.
The mother-of-two urged that an act that provides funding for child welfare issues be reauthorised and the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act be passed.
In 2021, Paris appeared in a Utah court to testify against Provo Canyon School, where she claims she was abused as a teenager.
She testified alongside two other alleged victims, in support of a bill brought by Utah Senator Michael McKell – calling for reform to the state’s laws regarding similar institutions.
In her testimony, the reality star said: “My name is Paris Hilton, I am an institutional abuse survivor and I speak today on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of children currently in residential care facilities across the United States.”
“For the past 20 years, I have had a recurring nightmare where I’m kidnapped in the middle of the night by two strangers, strip-searched, and locked in a facility. I wish I could tell you that this haunting nightmare was just a dream, but it is not.”
Paris alleged: “I was verbally, mentally and physically abused on a daily basis. I was cut off from the outside world and stripped of all my human rights.”
“Without a diagnosis, I was forced to consume medication that made me feel numb and exhausted. I didn’t breathe fresh air or see the sunlight for 11 months. There was zero privacy — every time I would use the bathroom or take a shower — it was monitored.”
“At 16 years old — as a child — I felt their piercing eyes staring at my naked body. I was just a kid and felt violated every single day.”
“I tell my story not so that anyone feels bad for me, but to shine a light on the reality of what happened then and is still happening NOW,” she claimed.
“The people who work at, run, and fund these programs should be ashamed of themselves. How can people live with themselves knowing this abuse is happening?”
Paris told the committee: “Talking about something so personal was and is still terrifying. And I cannot go to sleep at night knowing that there are children that are enduring the same abuse that I and so many others went through. Neither should you. I am proof that money doesn’t protect against abuse.”
Paris was sent to the boarding school by her parents for 11 months when she was 16 years old.
Following the release of her documentary, Provo Canyon has insisted it is no longer run by the same firm in charge when Paris attended the school.
A statement on their website read: “Please note that PCS was sold by its previous ownership in August 2000. We therefore cannot comment on the operations or patient experience prior to that time.”
“We do not condone or promote any form of abuse. Any and all alleged/suspected abuse is reported immediately to our state regulatory authorities, law enforcement and Child Protective Services, as required. We are committed to providing high-quality care to youth with special, and often complex, emotional, behavioural and psychiatric needs.”
“Thousands of youth with behavioural health issues have been helped over the years at Provo Canyon School.”
“Although the vast majority of patients report benefiting from the care they received at Provo Canyon School, occasionally some patients do not believe their treatment was successful.”
“We cannot comment on individual patient treatment, care or allegations due to privacy laws – but will reiterate that we are committed to providing high-quality care in a compassionate, safe environment. Ultimately, the value our clinicians and staff provide is
evidenced by their ability to improve and save lives.”
