Paris Hilton is opening up about a harrowing time in her life.
The TV personality, 41, recently sat down for an interview with the New YorkTimes , in whichshe discussed the alleged abuse she suffered as a teen while staying at theProvo Canyon School in Utah. Along with the article, in a series of statementsshared to Twitter, Hilton recalled the details of her experience.
“At Provo Canyon School, I was woken up in the middle of the night by malestaff who ushered me into a private room and performed cervical exams on me inthe middle of the night,” she wrote onTwitter Oct. 11.”Sleep-deprived & heavily medicated, I didn’t understand what was happening. Iwas forced to lie on a padded table, spread my legs & submit to cervicalexams.”
“I cried while they held me down & said, ‘No!'” she continued. “They justsaid, ‘Shut up. Be quiet. Stop struggling or you’ll go to Obs.'”
Paris Hilton Recalls Feeling “Violated Every Single Day” in TestimonyAgainst Utah Boarding School
Hilton also shared that she doesn’t think her alleged abuse was an isolatedincident.
“This was a recurring experience not only for me but for other #survivors,”she added. “Iwas violated & I am crying as I type this because no one, especially a child,should be sexually abused. My childhood was stolen from me & it kills me thisis still happening to other innocent children.”
I opened up in a > @NYTimes video about> something I’ve never discussed before. At Provo Canyon School, I was woken> up in the middle of the night by male staff who ushered me into a private> room and performed cervical exams on me in the middle of the night.> https://t.co/mWxF8Pvmaw>> — ParisHilton (@ParisHilton) October 11,> 2022
the Simple Life alum noted the significance of sharing her story withothers,adding“It’simportant to open up about these painful moments so I can heal & help put anend to this abuse. Watch the @NYTimes video that shares my story & deeplydisturbing information about Provo Canyon School’s owners Universal HealthServices.”
E! News has reached out to Universal Health Services for comment and has notheard back.
In a statement shared to E! News, the Provo Canyon School said that theboarding school “was sold by its previous ownership in August 2000.”
“What we can say is that the school provides a structured environment teachinglife-skills, providing behavioral health therapy, and continuing education foryouth who come to us with pre-existing and complex emotional, behavioral andpsychiatric needs,” the statement read. “These youth have not been successfulin typical home and school environments, and in many cases have a history ofengaging in dangerous behaviors such as self-harming and/or attemptingsuicide, physical violence and/or aggression toward others, and use of illicitsubstances.”
Rick Bowmer/AP/Shutterstock
Added the school, “While we acknowledge there are individuals over the manyyears who believe they were not helped by the program, we are heartened by themany stories former residents share about how their stay was a pivot point inimproving—and in many cases , saving—their lives.
In March 2021, Hilton also tested about the alleged abuse she suffered at theboarding school in a Utah courtroom. Her testimony was in support of a billfocused on ending abuse in the state’s congregational care facilities.
“I needed this bill when I was in residential care and I am honored to supportthe thousands of youth who now have greater protections,” she said at thetime. “This is only the beginning—I plan to approach the federal arena with abill that will protect youth across the nation in these types of facilities.”
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