LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Paris Hilton pledged to rally thousands of civil attorneys at the Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip as part of her ongoing campaign against the U.S. "troubled teen" industry.
Hilton has been vocal in her opposition to the industry, citing her experience at a youth rehabilitation facility as a teen. In recent years, she's advocated successfully for legislation to reform the industry and called attention to issues within the for-profit youth rehabilitation sector.
"They stole my childhood," Hilton said in a documentary about her life, in which she alleged she experienced physical and sexual abuse at a rehabilitation center during her teenage years.
Wednesday, Hilton was expected to deliver a speech about her experience at the opening session of Mass Torts Made Perfect, a semi-annual conference of civil litigation attorneys.
Hilton's advocacy has led to policy changes at the state level, and the celebrity entrepreneur is currently advocating for passage of the "Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act."
"Paris has dedicated herself to empowering survivors of the 'Troubled Teen Industry' and leveraging her global platform to ensure that no more youth ensure the cruelty and abuse she suffered in these institutions," a spokesperson stated in a release announcing the event.
