Paris Hilton boarding school abuse testimony helps ‘thousands’ of survivors heal: sources

Paris Hilton sounded the alarm last year over alleged residential school abuse with her own story as a survivor and the hotel heiress is now helping “thousands” of others across the country to heal from their trauma as reform looms on the horizon, sources told Fox News.

Hilton, 39, made headlines Monday when testifying at a Utah State Senate committee hearing about the alleged abuse she suffered years ago as as a student at Provo Canyon School in the late ’90s. She was one of many survivors of institutional abuse who lobbied for a bill to regulate the state’s troubled teen industry.

Hilton first dropped allegations of physical and mental violence at school in his documentary “This is Paris”. Several former students and even a former school staff member supported Hilton’s claims in previous interviews with Fox News, ultimately calling her a “hero.”

PCS declined to respond to the allegations prior to the Hilton documentary, telling Fox News in a September statement: “Initially opened in 1971, Provo Canyon School was sold by its former owner in August 2000. We therefore cannot comment on them. operations or patient experience. before this time. “

Hilton has worked closely with the Breaking Code Silence movement, made up of survivors, raising awareness of institutional child abuse across the country. Members of the movement told Fox News on Tuesday that Hilton was “absolutely” the reason the issue was referred to the state Senate committee.

PARIS HILTON SHARES PHOTOS OF Herself AT 18 AFTER ALLEGED ABUSE AT BOARD SCHOOL

“I was certainly not surprised but very happy to see this kind of progress being made. We worked closely with the impact team in Paris to work together on all of this. So we were aware of the process. step by step. I “I was just very happy to see that when Paris entered the arena as a lawyer, she really meant it. To see her present herself that way and be as vulnerable as she was. she was and as well spoken as she was yesterday, I was really proud of her and happy to see that, ”Jen Robison, co-founder of Breaking Code Silence, told Fox News in an interview Tuesday.

Robison acknowledged that Hilton’s recall of past trauma is certainly no small feat.

“Knowing Paris, she has a lot of heart and she cares so much about it and as a survivor of institutional violence myself, I know how scary it is to speak in a public forum about this kind of trauma. I have no doubt that she was. very nervous and I think it was incredibly brave of her to go through the process to make sure she knew what she needed to say and be able to do it so well, ”added Robison.

A former Provo Canyon employee spoke to Fox News on anonymity on Tuesday. The employee said watching Hilton testify at Monday’s State Senate committee hearing in Utah made him “so proud.”

PARIS HILTON DETAILS OF ALLEGED ABUSE AT UTAH BOARDING SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME: ‘TORTURE CONTINUES’

“It takes a lot of courage. So few celebrities are using their star power for a good cause. What Paris is doing now. She is taking advantage of her platform in a very positive way,” said the employee, who previously supported Hilton’s abuse allegations. Fox News, added.

Robison acknowledged that Hilton single-handedly began to break the long-standing abusive system in Utah. The former reality TV star has the potential to create a change nationwide, she added.

“This is the first time we’ve seen Utah take this seriously. Even though the hour has passed, it’s really cool to see that they care and understand the seriousness of the problem,” Robison continued. .

PARIS HILTON SAYS SHE WAS PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY ABUSE IN PAST RELATIONSHIPS

The bill that Hilton and others have testified to would require more government oversight of residential youth treatment centers. It would also require them to document when they use restraints. The measure was adopted unanimously on Monday. He will now travel to the Senate and / or the House for votes, shared Caroline Lorson, senior government relations coordinator for Breaking Code Silence.

Lorson said on Tuesday that this first stage of reform in Utah was “absolutely based on the bravery of Paris.”

“When Paris released ‘This is Paris’, she simultaneously let the whole community of survivors know that it was okay to talk about their experiences and talk about their trauma,” Lorson said.

Lorson recalled an important quote from Hilton’s testimony.

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“She said at the hearing: ‘Money does not protect you from abuse,” “Lorson said. “Being able to be vulnerable as she allows us to tell. I love this aspect because when we go through trauma we have this feeling that no one else will understand. These kinds of secrets can keep us sick. I applaud Paris for using this platform to be so vulnerable and allow thousands more to heal as well. “

Hilton revealed on Monday that she still suffers from nightmares and insomnia due to her past abuse at Provo Canyon School. The school previously declined to comment, saying because she has been under a new owner since Hilton’s presence, she cannot comment.

On Monday, Hilton called on senior government officials like President Joe Biden to get involved in ending abuse in the struggling teen industry.

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“I hope they have heard this message loud and clear and will take swift action so that our states and our nation do not continue to neglect institutional abuse of children,” Lorson said.

Since Hilton released “This is Paris,” other stars have spoken of their own similar experiences at boarding schools, including Kat Von D and Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris Jackson.

If you or a child you know is experiencing child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453).