Paris Hilton Testifies Before Congress On Foster Care Abuse: ‘I Will Not Stop Until America’s Youth Are Safe’

Paris Hilton testified before Congress on Wednesday, advocating for stronger protections for children in foster care and residential treatment facilities.

Appearing before the House Ways and Means Committee, Hilton shared her personal experiences of abuse at a boarding school for troubled teens, urging lawmakers to take action to safeguard vulnerable youth.

“I will be the voice for the children whose voices can’t be heard,” Hilton said, pledging to continue her efforts until “America’s youth is safe.”

The hearing focused on reauthorizing Title IV-B of the Social Security Act, which provides state resources for child welfare programs. Hilton emphasized the need for family support to prevent children from entering the foster care system.

Recounting her trauma, Hilton described being forcibly removed from her home at 16 and sent to multiple residential treatment facilities. She alleged experiencing physical, emotional and sexual abuse, as well as being subjected to solitary confinement and forced medication.

“My parents were completely deceived – lied to and manipulated by this for-profit industry about the inhumane treatment I was experiencing,” Hilton testified. She questioned the safety of youth in similar institutions by the state without regular oversight.

Now a mother of two, Hilton expressed her heartbreak over the stories of children in the system. She called for bipartisan solutions to protect young people from what she termed “criminal” treatment in facilities that “act like kid prisons.”

“These kids deserve to grow up in safe, family-centered environments,” Hilton said, directly addressing children in the system: “I see you, I believe you, I know what you’re going through, and I’m not giving up on you.”

Hilton has been a vocal advocate for child welfare reform since revealing her experiences in her 2020 documentary This Is Paris and her 2023 memoir. She continues to speak out about the lasting impact of institutional abuse, including her ongoing struggle with PTSD.

While addressing serious issues, the hearing had moments of lightheartedness. Hilton wished a committee member’s mother a happy birthday and complimented another representative’s glittery blazer.