Paris Hilton says she was "forced" to have cervical exams in the night at boarding school
Paris Hilton has shared more details about her traumatic experience at boarding school, claiming that she was "forced" to have cervical exams in the middle of the night.
"I opened up in a @NYTimes video about something I’ve never discussed before," the hotel heiress turned reality TV star turned DJ wrote on Twitter. "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."
Hilton continued: "Sleep-deprived and heavily medicated, I didn’t understand what was happening. I was forced to lie on a padded table, spread my legs and submit to cervical exams. I cried while they held me down and said, 'No!' They just said, 'Shut up. Be quiet. Stop struggling'."
She also told the New York Times that there was never a doctor present, and that staff members at the Utah boarding school would "put their fingers inside" of her and other young women.
"This was a recurring experience not only for me but for other #survivors. I was violated and I am crying as I type this because no one, especially a child, should be sexually abused," Hilton went on. "My childhood was stolen from me and it kills me this is still happening to other innocent children."
Speaking about her decision to go public with her experience, the 41-year-old said: "It's important to open up about these painful moments so I can heal and help put an end to this abuse."
In her 2020 documentary, This Is Paris, Hilton revealed that she adopted a character throughout her career to cope with the "heartbreaking trauma" she experienced as a child. "I'm so used to playing a character that it's hard for me to be normal," she said. "I created this brand and this persona and this character, and I've been stuck with her ever since."
Since Hilton's abuse claims came to light, a petition calling for Provo Canyon School – where she lived for 11 months in 1999 – to be shut down has reached over 200 thousand signatures. Provo Canyon School said in a previous statement that the facility was sold in 2000 and is under new ownership. School officials said they could not comment on the past owners but do not "condone or promote any form of abuse."
Cosmopolitan UK has reached out to Provo Canyon School for comment.
For help with any of the issues discussed in this article, visit: Rape Crisis England & Wales, Rape Crisis Scotland, or Rape Crisis Northern Ireland. RASASC provides emotional and practical support for survivors, families and friends.
You Might Also Like
