Paris Hilton's Advocacy Closes Abusive Utah School

After more than 50 years of abuse allegations, a Utah boarding school has permanently lost its license thanks to one survivor who refused to stay silent.

State regulators revoked the license of Provo Canyon School's Springville campus on August 6, 2025, citing unnecessary restraint, aggressive physical contact, and neglect. The facility, which housed girls ages 12 to 18, must terminate all operations within weeks.

Paris Hilton, who spent nearly a year at the school in the 1990s, has campaigned tirelessly to close the institution. She alleged physical assault, forced medication, and solitary confinement during programs meant to reform her behavior.

"My parents were promised that tough love would fix me," Hilton said in 2021. She described the experience as haunting her to this day.

But Hilton transformed her trauma into action. She testified before Congress in 2024 and traveled to state legislatures across the country, pushing for laws to protect teens from the for-profit "troubled teen industry."

Her 2020 documentary brought national attention to conditions at facilities like Provo Canyon School. Former residents came forward with their own stories, and complaints flooded the state licensing agency.

The Ripple Effect

Hilton's advocacy created a wave of accountability. Utah health officials also imposed restrictions on the school's boys campus in June after staff failed to protect a student during a fight or seek immediate medical care for his injuries.

The school, now under different ownership than when Hilton attended, says it's evaluating an appeal. Officials claim their priority remains providing safe, high-quality care.

But survivors know the truth. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the school "failed to provide applicable health and safety services for clients."

"Today, the state confirmed what survivors have known all along," Hilton said in a statement. "When survivors refuse to stay silent, change is possible."

Her message to children still in similar facilities resonates with hope: someone is finally coming to protect them.

One voice became many, and together they proved no institution is too powerful to be held accountable.