Thank you to those constituents who have contacted me about voyeurism and breastfeeding and for sharing their experiences.
Every woman has the right to privacy and dignity when breastfeeding their child and the Government is unwavering in its support for this. It is deeply concerning to learn of cases in which this right has been not been respected by members of the public.
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill will provide a complete justice overhaul to make our communities safer and better equip our police to do so. The Bill seeks to give the police new powers and tools to protect the public while also investing hundreds of millions to deliver faster justice and further support victims of crime.
The Government has brought forward an amendment to the Bill to create new offences of recording images of a person who is breastfeeding, or operating equipment with the intention of enabling another person to observe a person who is breastfeeding, where that is done without consent and for the purposes of sexual gratification (on either the part of the person taking the image, or a third party), or to humiliate, alarm or distress the person depicted. This will build on existing offences of voyeurism in sections 67 and 67A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, as amended by the Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019.
Furthermore, I await the findings of the Law Commission's wider review of the law on taking, making and sharing intimate images without consent, including photography of breastfeeding. I understand that the Government has confirmed that it will consider the recommendations of the review when they are published and any further changes to criminal offences in this area which may be needed to further protect victims.
It is welcome that the Government does not shy away from tackling the use of the internet and imagery as forms of criminal behaviour. In 2015, the Government introduced the offence of revenge pornography, and, during proceedings on the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, I know the Government listened to the victims of threats to use revenge porn and acted in that legislation to extend the offence to include threats to disclose private sexual images with an intent to cause distress.
More broadly, I welcome that the Equality Act 2010 outlaws discrimination against a woman because she is breastfeeding. This applies to anyone providing services, benefits, facilities and premises to the public, public bodies, and further and higher education bodies.
I will follow this issue closely for any developments in Parliament.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.