Recommendations of the Editorial team
Paris Hilton spoke in Washington about the sex tape that was released without her consent in 2004. During an appearance on Capitol Hill, she clearly described the incident as abuse. The singer and reality TV personality supported the so-called DEFIANCE Act, a bill to protect those affected by AI-generated, sexually explicit content.
“It wasn’t a scandal, it was abuse”
Hilton spoke at the event alongside Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Republican Rep. Laurel Lee of Florida. In an emotional speech, she made it clear how much the event still shapes her to this day.
“When I was 19 years old, a private, intimate video of myself was shared with the world without my consent,” Hilton said. “They called it a scandal. It wasn’t. It was abuse.”
Support for the DEFIANCE Act
Her appearance was in support of the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act, or DEFIANCE Act for short. The bipartisan law is intended to enable victims of AI-generated, sexually explicit content to take legal action against its creation, distribution and targeted sharing.
The bill has already been passed by the US Senate. “There were no laws protecting me back then,” Hilton explained. “There weren’t even words for what was done to me. The internet was still new – and so was the cruelty that came with it.”
Public humiliation and silence
Hilton described how she was publicly mocked and targeted after the publication. “I was insulted, laughed at and made into a punchline,” she said. “My pain was sold for clicks and then I was told to be quiet, move on, or even be grateful for the attention.”
Nobody saw her as a young woman who was being exploited, Hilton continued. Nobody asked about the panic, the humiliation or the shame – nor about what she had lost.
Reclaim your own voice
Hilton emphasized that today she has a platform to tell her story herself – many others don’t have this opportunity. “If your image is violated, it doesn’t go away,” she said. “It lives on within you. But your power lives there too.”
Speaking the truth publicly helped her heal. “I am proud to stand here today without shame,” she said. Hilton concluded: “I will continue to speak the truth to protect every woman, every girl and every survivor – now and in the future.”
Background to the sex video
The video was recorded by Hilton’s then-boyfriend Rick Salomon. In her 2024 book “Paris: The Memoir,” she described feeling pressured by her significantly older partner to allow the recordings.
After its release in 2004, Hilton publicly stated that she did not consent to its distribution. Salomon then sued her for defamation, Hilton filed a countersuit and received damages, which she donated in full.
Long-term consequences and new projects
Back in 2021, Hilton told Vanity Fair that the video would “hurt her for the rest of her life.” It was a private moment between two people, the publication of which was traumatizing for them. She spoke of persistent stress reactions and even post-traumatic symptoms.
Hilton’s new documentary “Infinite Icon: A Visual Memoir” will be released on January 30th. The film follows the creation of her 2024 album of the same name and addresses how music helped her during difficult phases in her life. In addition, Hilton deals with the often misogynistic portrayal of her person in the media as well as her own experiences of abuse at so-called problem youth schools.