Actress and reality star Paris Hilton said she was in her "Liam Neeson era" after testifying in front of a US House of Representatives committee examining child welfare protections.
"In my Liam Neeson era," Hilton said in a social media post on June 26.
"From the California Capitol in April to DC today, I will continue to advocate until every child is safe, and shine a bright light on these abuses."
Hilton was presumably referring to Irish actor Neeson's role in the 2008 surprise hit "Taken," which follows his character as he stops at nothing to rescue his teen daughter.
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43-year-old Hilton, who spent time in multiple treatment centers for troubled teens when she was younger, has mounted a campaign in recent years calling for legislation to enact more regulation of such programs.
The former reality star says she endured abuse while at the facilities.
On Wednesday, Hilton testified during the House Committee on Ways and Means hearing on "Strengthening Child Welfare and Protecting America's Children."
Hilton said her experiences were not from foster care, but instead from being placed in the youth residential treatment facilities.
She said: "When I was 16 years old, I was ripped from my bed in the middle of the night and transported across state lines to the first of four youth residential treatment facilities.
"These programs promised 'healing, growth, and support,' but instead did not allow me to speak, move freely, or even look out of a window for two years.
"I was force-fed medications and sexually abused by staff. I was violently restrained and dragged down hallways, stripped naked, and thrown into
solitary confinement.
"My parents were completely deceived - lied to and manipulated by this for-profit industry… so can you only imagine the experience for youth who don’t have anyone checking in on them?
"Today, residential facilities are warehousing tens of thousands of foster youth and adopted youth - innocent children who have lost their families and have nowhere else to go. This $23 billion dollar industry sees these children as dollar signs and operates without meaningful oversight. We are sending youth a signal that profit is more important than their lives."
Hilton, who noted that she helped pass nine state laws on this issue, said she strongly advocates for the reauthorization of Title IV-B of the Social Security Act which provides resources to states to promote child welfare.
She also said she strongly advocates for the passage of the federal bipartisan Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act.
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