Taking photos of women breastfeeding babies in public without their consentwill be illegal in England and Wales. The proposal is part of a bill included in a larger package currently before the British Parliament.
UK Justice Minister Dominic Raab noted that the legislation seeks to prevent women from being “harassed”, either for “self-gratification” or “harassment purposes”, as reported by the British BBC.
Labour MPs Jeff Smith and Stella Creasy have led efforts in the House of Commons to maketaking pictures of women while they breastfeed illegal, after a female citizen contacted them after being photographed while breastfeeding in a park.
However, when the woman, identified as Julia Cooper, went to the police about the incident, they told her that there was nothing they could do because no crime had been committed.
Creasy has her own experience of being photographed feeding her baby. A teenager took a photo of her on a train, after which the deputy said in statements to the BBC that it was a "horrible experience".
According to the DailyMail newspaper, the bill says that people who photograph nursing mothers without their consent could face two years in jail. The regulations still need to be examined by Parliament.
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“No new mother should be harassed like this,” said Attorney General Dominic Raab. And he added: “We are committed to doing everything we can to protect women, make them feel safer and give them more confidence in the judicial system.”
The UK Ministry of Justice noted that creating this specific offense provides "police and prosecutors with the clarity and powers they need to ensure perpetrators face justice."
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “All government departments are working to address and tackle all issues related to violence against women and girls.” She concluded: “ The amendments place the voice of the victims at the center of our decisions.”
(With information from EuropaPress)
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