Paris Hilton Shares Her Sexual Abuse Story Amid Fight to Shut Down Provo School in Utah

Paris Hilton is opening up about the alleged abuse she experienced as a teen at Provo Canyon School: "Sleep-deprived & heavily medicated, I didn’t understand what was happening."

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Content warning: This story discusses sexual abuse.
 
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 York Times, in which she discussed the alleged abuse she suffered as a teen while staying at the Provo Canyon School in Utah. Along with the article, in a series of statements shared on Twitter, Hilton recalled the details of her experience.
 
"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," she wrote on Twitter Oct. 11. "Sleep-deprived & heavily medicated, I didn't understand what was happening. I was forced to lie on a padded table, spread my legs & submit to cervical exams."
 
"I cried while they held me down & said, ‘No!'" she continued. "They just said, ‘Shut up. Be quiet. Stop struggling or you'll go to Obs.'"

Hilton also shared that she doesn't think her alleged abuse was an isolated incident.
 
"This was a recurring experience not only for me but for other #survivors," she added. "I was 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 this is still happening to other innocent children."

The "Simple Life" alum noted the significance of sharing her story with others, adding, "It's important to open up about these painful moments so I can heal & help put an end to this abuse. Watch the @NYTimes video that shares my story & deeply disturbing information about Provo Canyon School's owners Universal Health Services."
 
E! News has reached out to Universal Health Services for comment and has not heard back.

In a statement shared with E! News, the Provo Canyon School said that the boarding school "was sold by its previous ownership in August 2000."

"What we can say is that the school provides a structured environment teaching life-skills, providing behavioral health therapy, and continuing education for youth who come to us with pre-existing and complex emotional, behavioral and psychiatric needs," the statement read. "These youth have not been successful in typical home and school environments, and in many cases have a history of engaging in dangerous behaviors such as self-harming and/or attempting suicide, physical violence and/or aggression toward others, and use of illicit substances."

Added the school, "While we acknowledge there are individuals over the many years who believe they were not helped by the program, we are heartened by the many stories former residents share about how their stay was a pivot point in improving—and in many cases, saving—their lives.

In March 2021, Hilton also testified about the alleged abuse she suffered at the boarding school in a Utah courtroom. Her testimony was in support of a bill focused on ending abuse in the state's congregate care facilities.

"I needed this bill when I was in residential care and I am honored to support the thousands of youth who now have greater protections," she said at the time. "This is only the beginning—I plan to approach the federal arena with a bill that will protect youth across the nation in these types of facilities."

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