Last February, Paris spoke out on the abuse at behavior-modification programs for teens in Utah, helping pass a reform bill in the state's Senate. And now that Hilton's found her voice, there's no stopping her: the hotel heiress's most recent activism came in the form of a Washington Post op-ed addressed to not only Congress but also President Biden. Here's what she had to say.
In August of last year, the 40-year-old business mogul first opened up about her experiences with abuse in the teen industry, specifically at Provo Canyon. Along with detailed interviews and a personal documentary, Paris also made her way to protest some of these institutions in person. And now, Hilton is calling for change on a federal level. "No child should die in the name of 'treatment.' But too many children have," she wrote in the op-ed published in Washington Post.
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"Congress and President Biden need to enact a basic federal 'bill of rights' for youth in congregate care. Every child placed in these facilities should you have a right to a safe, human environment, free from threats and practices of solitary confinement, and physical or chemical restraint at the whim of staff," Paris continued. "Had such rights existed and been enforced, I and countless other survivors could have been spared the abuse and trauma that have haunted us into adulthood."
The Hollywood icon also gave specific actions the government needs to take to assure teen safety. Hilton wrote, "Congress must also provide states with funding to create comprehensive reporting systems for incidents of institutional abuse and to establish standards for best practices and staff training. It should also require states to prove that children's basic rights are being protected."
"Ensuring that children, including at-risk children, are safe from institutional abuse, neglect and coercion isn't a Republican or Democratic issue - it's a basic human rights issue that requires immediate action," she continued. "Those in power have an obligation to protect the powerless." Earlier in the letter, Paris detailed the "parent-approved kidnapping" and continued abuse experienced by those in the Teen Industry, making clear the urgency of the matter.
You can read the entire Washington Post op-ed here and learn more about the starlet's experiences in her 2020 documentary, This Is Paris.
