Australian judge defends expulsion of breastfeeding mother from court, says…

The woman said she felt traumatized by the ordeal. (Representative image/Pixabay)

An Australian judge who has come under fire for evicting a breastfeeding mother and her baby from his courtroom has explained his actions as ‘barely explaining’.

According The Guardian, the woman was breastfeeding her child as she watched a trial in Victoria County Court on Thursday when the judge addressed her directly, saying she was not allowed to breastfeed in court because it was a distraction. While the court declined to comment on the case, the judge addressed the jury on Friday about the incident and said his comments were “explicit”.

“What I [told the mother] was it – ‘Madam, you will not be allowed to breastfeed a baby in court. I’m sorry. I’m going to have to ask you to leave. It will at the very least be a distraction for the jury,” the judge said, according to the outlet.

“I’m telling you this because it’s something that’s gotten some publicity in the media and I think you need to know exactly what I said and why I said it. That said, it’s not not a matter that you should really consider moving forward as it is irrelevant to your task,” the judge added.

Now, state attorney general Jaclyn Symes is expected to take the matter up with the courts. “These concerning reports are a matter for county court,” a spokesperson for the attorney general said, adding, “However, no woman deserves to be shamed and humiliated for breastfeeding in public.”

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Speaking to Australian media age, the breastfeeding woman said she felt traumatized by the ordeal. “I just felt totally humiliated and ashamed, like I was doing something wrong,” she said.

The woman also said she asked the security guard before entering if it was okay to bring the baby inside the court. She said she was humiliated when she publicly addressed the court. She said she was disappointed that the judge described breastfeeding as a “distraction”.

According The GuardianAustralian Childhood Minister Ingrid Stitt was also asked about the incident at a press conference. “In 2023, it’s extraordinary that this has happened at all. It’s really disappointing,” she said, adding, “The important message for Victorian women is that we support you and your right to power. caring for your children, and if that means you have to breastfeed in a public building, then that’s something that should not only be tolerated but celebrated.

Notably, in Australia, pregnant and breastfeeding women are protected in areas of public life, including work, schools, universities, shops and rental properties, under Victoria’s Equal Opportunity Act. However, it is unclear whether these protections apply in court, as courtroom rules are often left to the discretion of the judge.