If you’re used to thinking of Paris Hilton as a party girl rather than an agent for social change, think again: The 43-year-old media personality was instrumental in the passing of a bill this week that would require greater oversight over youth residential treatment facilities across the country.
For years, Hilton has been open about her own negative experiences with what’s commonly referred to as the troubled-teen industry, discussing them in detail in both her 2020 documentary, This Is Paris, and her 2023 memoir. (Hilton has since reported that her forceful advocacy for abused children helped to change laws related to the detention of minors in at least eight states.)
Speaking before the House Ways and Means committee over the summer, Hilton recalled: “When I was 16 years old, I was ripped from my bed in the middle of the night and transported across state lines to the first of four youth residential treatment facilities. These programs promised healing, growth and support, but instead did not allow me to speak, move freely, or even look out a window for two years.” Hilton went on to allege years’ worth of abuse during her stays at centers including Provo Canyon School in Utah.
