Paris Hilton celebrates approval of bill against child abuse: 'I stand for every survivor'
TW: This story contains mentions of sexual abuse and child abuse
Paris Hilton celebrated the passage of a US bill protecting youth in residential treatment facilities, sharing her own experiences with abuse.
On her Instagram account, the media personality emphasized that the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act is "more than a bill" as she opened up about how she was abused in a boarding school when she was young.
"As a teenager, I was silenced, unseen, and subjected to unimaginable pain in institutional facilities. For years, I carried that trauma, believing no one would ever listen," Hilton began in her post.
She continued, "But today, I stand here not just for myself but for every survivor who has ever felt powerless or unheard."
She highlighted that the bill is a "promise to protect children, hold abusers accountable, and dismantle systems that have harmed generations" before going on to assure fellow survivors that they "are not alone."
"Your pain is real, but your future is yours to reclaim. Together, we’ve turned pain into purpose, and this is proof that love, light, and action can defeat even the darkest forces," Hilton wrote.
"They tried to silence us, but we turned our whispers into a roar – and the world is finally listening. Let’s keep sliving for a safer, brighter future. This is just the beginning," she added.
In a separate post, the socialite and activist shared a picture of herself outside the US Capitol with a sign that read, "Children should not die in treatment," on the day that Congress officially passed the bill.
"No child should ever endure the horrors of abuse in silence. I did this for the younger version of myself and the youth who were senselessly taken from us by the Troubled Teen Industry," she wrote.
In her open letter to the members of the House of Representatives, Hilton recounted how she was sent to youth residential treatment facilities as a teenager where she "endured abuse that no child should ever experience."
"I was physically restrained, sexually abused, isolated, overmedicated, and stripped of my dignity. I was told I didn't matter, that I was the problem, and that no one would believe me if I spoke up—not even my family," she said.
"For most of my life, I carried a deep, unspoken pain. I thought if I stayed quiet, if I buried it far enough, maybe I could convince myself it didn't happen. But silence doesn't heal—it only protects the people that caused the harm. Speaking up has been the hardest thing I've ever done, but it's also been the most powerful," she continued.
Since she started advocating for the protection of minors against abuse, she has met "so many brave survivors" who were similarly traumatized by their own abuse experiences.
"When the US Senate came together in a rare show of unity to pass the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act unanimously on Wednesday, Dec. 11th, it was one of the best moments of my life. It was proof that when we listen to survivors and put politics aside, we can create real, meaningful change," Hilton underscored.
"Survivors like me have carried this fight for far too long. Now, I ask you to carry it across the finish line. Let's make this a moment that our country can be proud of moment when we chose to protect the most vulnerable among us," she added.
The Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act now only needs the signature of US President Joe Biden for it to become an official law.
According to its website, the bill aims to "transform how youth residential programs are overseen and managed across the United States" and "safeguard the health and well-being of vulnerable youths housed in these facilities."
