As someone who has endured childhood trauma, I understand the deep pain that comes from silence. Suffering abuse while suppressing feelings of anger, shame, and fear can have a lasting impact on one’s mental and physical well-being. I never imagined I would share such a harrowing experience with a public figure like Paris Hilton.
Trauma can originate from various environments—be it home, school, or within the care of adults. The effects on children and teens are often devastating. Unaddressed generational abuse, combined with the societal pressure to conform, can severely damage a child’s self-esteem and instill a lasting sense of anxiety that may persist into adulthood. If not addressed, this cycle of abuse risks being perpetuated in future relationships.
This is why it’s crucial for survivors to step forward and share their experiences. Breaking the cycle begins with each of us.
As a young adolescent, I would see Paris Hilton in the media, portrayed merely as a wealthy socialite living a glamorous life. I envied her perceived privilege, assuming she couldn’t possibly know what it meant to struggle. However, her narrative reveals a far darker reality.
In a poignant article for The Washington Post, Hilton recounts her traumatic experience at the age of 16 when she was forcibly taken to a treatment facility for “troubled” youth. Many teens sent to these centers have faced similar circumstances, some even highlighted on shows like Dr. Phil, who is currently under scrutiny for negligence linked to incidents at a Utah ranch.
Hilton described her removal from home as “parent-approved kidnapping.” She was awakened one night by two men with handcuffs who offered her an option: “the easy way or the hard way.” As they carried her away, she screamed for help, unaware of her fate. She later referred to the experience as being sent to hell.
During her time in these facilities, Hilton encountered shocking abuse at the hands of staff—both psychological and physical. She recounted being choked, slapped, and deprived of sleep. “I was called vile names and forced to take medications without any diagnosis,” she stated. At one facility in Utah, she was confined to a solitary room marked by scratch marks and blood stains.
Because her communication with the outside world was strictly monitored, Hilton felt powerless to report the abuse. This troubling pattern is often the norm in such facilities, creating a painful divide between children and their families. Staff frequently engaged in gaslighting and deception, further complicating the situation.
Hilton’s revelations shed light on the systemic issues that persist in these treatment centers, where many youths leave more traumatized than when they arrived. “Approximately 120,000 young people are placed in congregate-care facilities across the nation at any time, often through child welfare and juvenile justice systems,” she noted. Unfortunately, oversight is minimal, with state inspections lacking thoroughness and no organized data tracking placements or incidents.
Now, Hilton is urging the Biden Administration to enact a federal bill of rights for children in such facilities. Recently, she met with Congress to advocate for this legislation, collaborating with representatives to push for reforms that will prevent further abuse.
“Every child in these facilities deserves a safe and humane environment, free from threats and the arbitrary use of solitary confinement or restraint,” Hilton emphasized. “If these rights had been in place, I and countless others could have avoided the trauma that has plagued us into adulthood.”
While I wouldn’t wish the horrors Paris Hilton faced on anyone, I am grateful she has chosen to speak up and take action rather than remain silent.
For more insights on similar topics, check out this related blog post and learn about resources available at Make A Mom as well as March of Dimes for pregnancy and home insemination guidance.
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