Paris Hilton lends star power to Utah bill aimed at curbing abuse in teen treatment centers

SALT LAKE CITY — Media personality Paris Hilton met with Utah lawmakers Monday to talk about her time in a Utah residential treatment facility and advocate for change.

In a video she posted to Twitter, she previewed her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

#BreakingCodeSilence is a cause that’s been close to my heart. I’ve been working very hard with @Rebecca_Impact, @Nguyen_Amanda & @InsideProgram. Tomorrow we are meeting with state leaders to create laws to protect youth in residential care! Looking forward to some real progress! pic.twitter.com/MmrKy8imLL

— Paris Hilton (@ParisHilton) February 8, 2021

About to go Live on my Instagram at 2:40pm PT! Tune in to hear my testimony! ✨ pic.twitter.com/9fvM5tp1dU

— Paris Hilton (@ParisHilton) February 8, 2021

The bill Hilton is supporting is being sponsored by Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork. It would add more government oversight to the nearly 100 youth residential treatment centers throughout the state.

Paris Hilton tackles residential treatment programs

Hilton previous traveled to Utah in October to protest outside the residential treatment facility in Provo where she said she suffered abuse. 

Monday, she detailed some of her experience in the hearing on Utah’s Capitol Hill. 

“For the past 20 years, I’ve had a recurring nightmare where I am kidnapped in the middle of the night by two escorts, strip-searched and locked in a facility,” Hilton said. “I wish I could tell you this haunting nightmare was just a dream, but unfortunately it is not.”

“I don’t know if my nightmares will ever go away, but I do know that there are hundreds of thousands of kids going through this, and maybe if I stop their nightmares it will help me stop mine,” Hilton continued.

“For the past 20 years I’ve had a recurring nightmare where I am kidnapped in the middle of the night by two escorts, strip searched, and locked in a facility. I wish I could tell you this haunting nightmare was just a dream, but unfortunately it is not.”
–@ParisHilton #utpol pic.twitter.com/1LRt5d5ytL

— Utah Senate (@utahsenate) February 8, 2021

Bill offers protection for youth

McKell’s bill states that youth treatment centers “may not use a cruel, severe, unusual, or unnecessary practice on a child, including: a strip search; a body cavity search; inducing pain to obtain compliance; hyperextending joints; peer restraints; discipline or punishment that is intended to frighten or humiliate.”

Under the legislation, treatments centers would also need to provide policies for suicide prevention. 

“I want to be clear about why we are here,” McKell said. “We are here to look at our laws and address concerns. We need to provide appropriate safeguards to protect our children.”

During the lengthy committee hearing, Senator Derek Kitchen actually apologized directly to Hilton after she testified about her abuse.

“This has been a problem obviously in the state of Utah for a long, long time.” He said.

“Frankly, we failed to protect you and I’m sorry about that.” 

Other lawmakers questioned whether the bill goes far enough in protecting Utah’s teens.

McKell’s bill received a favorable recommendation in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Monday, making it likely to head to the Senate floor next. 

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