Paris opens up on being abused as a teen

Paris Hilton released her statement on being abused that she suffered years ago at a boarding school in Utah.

The actor was sent to 'Provo Canyon School' for 11 months at age 17, where she said that she was abused mentally and physically. She also recalled that the staff members would beat her, force her to take unknown pills, watch her shower and send her to solitary confinement without clothes as punishment.

The socialite and reality TV star also spoke about the abuse in a documentary titled 'This is Paris' that was released this fall.

Hilton testified at a state Senate committee hearing at the Utah Capitol in favour of the bill that would require more government oversight of youth residential

treatment centers and require them to document when they use restraints. The measure passed unanimously following emotional testimony from Hilton and several other survivors.

"Talking about something so personal was and is still terrifying," Hilton told the committee.

She added, "But I cannot go to sleep at night knowing that there are children that are experiencing the same abuse that I and so many others went through, and neither should you."

The 39-year-old stated that the treatment was so 'traumatising' that she had suffered nightmares and insomnia for years.

The 'Provo' institution is currently under new ownership and the administration said that it cannot comment on anything that came before the change, including Hilton's time there.