Paris Hilton is "grateful" to the State Legislature of Utah for passing a school reform bill
The 40-year-old star has previously accused staff members at Provo Canyon School of emotionally, physically and psychologically abusing her as a teenager, and she's now welcomed the reform to the state's laws
9 April 2021
Paris - who attended the signing of the legislation by Utah Governor Spencer Cox - told People: "Ever since my documentary 'This Is Paris' came out last year and I told my story for the first time, I've received thousands of letters from survivors sharing their stories with me.
"Reading them broke my heart and I made a promise to myself, the children still at these treatment centres, and all survivors that I would continue to use my voice and fight until laws were changed across the country."
Paris hopes the reforms will mean that children are better protected against different kinds of abuse.
She explained: "I'm grateful that the State Legislature of Utah has recognised the injustice and mistreatment happening at these facilities, and I'm so glad that this bill being signed into law will ensure more regulation of these centres and protection for children.
"We will continue pushing this issue to the federal level so that laws protecting teens and children are made in all 50 states."
Paris initially spoke out about her experiences in a YouTube documentary.
The TV star felt it was important to make her voice heard and to use her platform to help instigate change.
Speaking last year, she explained: "I buried my truth for so long. But I'm proud of the strong woman I've become.
"People might assume everything in my life came easy to me, but I want to show the world who I truly am."
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