Paris Hilton recalls 2017 private video leak, says ‘There were no laws at the time to protect me’

Trigger warning: This article contains sensitive information, reader discretion is advised.Famed online personality Paris Hilton recently opened up about her experience of getting a private video leaked online. The star returned to Capitol Hill once more to talk about her experience and advocate for the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act, or DEFIANCE Act.Paris Hilton, as per reports from People, attended Capitol Hill a year after advocating for a bill that established protections for institutionalized youth. During her speech, she shared her own experience of dealing with having one of her private videos leaked online. Recalling her matter, she shared that “When I was 19 years old, a private, intimate video of me was shared with the world without my consent. People called it a scandal. It wasn't. It was abuse.”Hilton continued and shared, while standing beside Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, that with the new wave of the internet, a lot of cruelty came from the people around her. “There were no laws at the time to protect me. There weren't even words for what had been done to me. The internet was still new, and so was the cruelty that came with it,” she added. Hilton further talked about how people often called her names and that the video was reshared across the internet like wildfire. “They laughed and made me the punchline. They sold my pain for clicks, and then they told me to be quiet, to move on, to even be grateful for the attention,” she added, further sharing that she was never viewed as a young woman who was being exploited. “I lost control over my body, over my reputation. My sense of safety and self-worth was stolen from me,” she added.Further detailing how she was fortunate enough to have a platform to speak up about her issues, a lot of other girls do not. She shared, “What I've learned is that when your image is violated, it doesn't disappear. It lives inside you, but so does your power. Telling the truth has helped me heal, and I am so proud that today I stand here without shame.”DISCLAIMER: If you or someone you know is struggling with abuse, anxiety, depression, or mental illness, please seek professional help immediately from a doctor, mental health expert, or NGO. Helplines are also available.