Paris Hilton bravely recounted the harrowing physical and psychological abuse she endured at group care facilities as a teenager during a congressional hearing on Wednesday. The reality TV star and heiress shared her disturbing experiences of being violently restrained, stripped naked, thrown into solitary confinement, force-fed medications, and sexually abused by staff members during her stays at youth residential treatment facilities.
Ms. Hilton, 43, who was sent to these facilities starting at age 16, testified in support of a bipartisan effort to reauthorize a program that provides resources to prevent child abuse and neglect. She denounced the treatment of children in foster care at residential facilities as “criminal” and urged for an investment in kinship care.
The testimony shed light on the troubling conditions within residential facilities for teenagers, which have faced increased scrutiny in recent years due to reports of deaths and abuse. Sarah Font, an associate professor specializing in child abuse and neglect within foster care, emphasized the importance of providing safe and appropriate care to children in family settings rather than in residential care.
Ms. Hilton’s advocacy work in the political arena is not new, as she has previously testified before the Utah Senate judiciary committee and worked with congressional Democrats on a federal “bill of rights” for children in residential facilities. She has also supported legislation in California to increase transparency about disciplinary methods in short-term residential facilities.
In her powerful testimony, Ms. Hilton vowed to continue fighting for the safety and well-being of America’s youth, sending a message of support to children in the system: “I see you. I believe you. I know what you’re going through, and I won’t give up on you.” Her courage in speaking out against the abuse she endured serves as a call to action for lawmakers to prioritize the protection of vulnerable children in care facilities.
