One of the most challenging aspects of Paris Hilton’s new memoir involves her attendance at Provo Canyon School in Springville, Utah. While Hilton has previously made some seriously disturbing allegations about her former boarding school, “Paris: The Memoir” explores her experiences in depth, revealing a whole new level of terrifying detail. Perhaps surprisingly, Hilton wasn’t sure she would get into the time she spent in a number of so-called psychiatric youth residential treatment centers. However, after she watched Demi Lovato’s 2017 documentary, “Simply Complicated,” the heiress decided that she should speak out about her experiences.
Writing in her memoir, Hilton says of Lovato, “I was as stunned as the rest of the world by how real, vulnerable, and courageous she was. … In the doc, Demi shared a painful reckoning with a difficult past; in person, I saw her in the midst of an intense journey of self-acceptance and discovery.” She continues, “I envied that acceptance. I wanted that discovery for myself.” In her book, the star of “The Simple Life” recounts instances of rape, physical and verbal harassment, and dangerous living conditions, amongst other allegations of abuse, which took place during her time at boarding school. “This was something that I had blocked out from my memory, but after hearing the story from other survivors, I started having flashbacks,” she told Glamour UK. And if it hadn’t been for Lovato, Hilton may not have found the bravery to tell her story.
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If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
