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Has anyone called the police after being harassed about NIP?  

post #1 of 29
11/9/08 at 7:06pm
Thread Starter 
I'm not at all worried about feeding my (soon to be born) baby in public in the area I live in -- it's a pretty friendly, open, positive area of the country. But I was thinking about how I would react if someone was as negative towards me as some of the stories I've read on here!

I realized that I would be calm, but very firm and dismissive. Like, "well, thank you for your concern but I will finish feeding my baby right here and I would appreciate being left alone." But here's what got me thinking....I realized that my instinct would be to threaten to call the police if the person was persistent in their "cause". I would have no problem following through on that threat if I felt that the person was, in fact, harassing me by not dropping it and leaving me alone after a couple requests on my part.

So, um, would this be a crazy thing to do? Would the police back me up?
post #2 of 29
11/9/08 at 7:14pm
When I was approached I said that the law supported my right to nurse in public. The store manager said that he wasn't aware of any such law. I told him he could feel free to call the police then and maybe they could tell him about it. He didn't call though.
post #3 of 29
11/9/08 at 7:17pm
Nicely done!!!
post #4 of 29
11/9/08 at 7:38pm
I imagine it depends on where you are, even here in town.

VA doesn't have as many legal protections for NiP as other states. In Charlottesville itself, however, it would probably come down to the type of property you are on. If you're on private/commercial property and the owner wants you off, the police will likely side with the owner. It just depends, though, and you won't know until the time comes. On public property, you should be fine. And I *think* state-owned property is protected, so you should be fine (backed up, that is) nursing anywhere that is state-owned. At least that will be my argument if anyone ever says anything to me while nursing on the Lawn.

That said, in 18.5mo of nursing in C'ville, I have only been hassled (and I'm using that term, even though I didn't realize it was happening at that instant) on one or two occasions (same person).

I nurse my toddler everywhere. C'ville is pretty crunchy-friendly.
post #5 of 29
11/9/08 at 8:50pm
i might. im mouthy like that though...and don't mind making a spectacle of myself. if they police sided with the other person there would be national media hell to pay. Plus i one of use called the police and the police sided with the other guy would the other mamas in the area (or the rest of the country) let them off the hook? somehow i doubt it
post #6 of 29
11/9/08 at 8:59pm
No, because I like to handle my own mess, and I'm yet to have a positive interaction with cops, ever.

I would be more likely to tell someone to get out of my face. In fact, I have told someone to 'Get away from me', and it has worked nicely.

It's like people assume that I'm someone to pick on b/c I'm, I don't know...young? a mother? single? poor-looking? I'm not going to oblige, and I respond accordingly. If someone were to kindly ask me to leave/cover whatever, I'd kindly tell them 'NO' and maybe offer some education.

If someone is obviously trying to get off on picking on me/ordering me around, I am happy to tell them that they're treading thin ice and likely to be eaten, what with my voracious nursing appetite and all....
post #7 of 29
11/9/08 at 9:22pm
The closest I have came to police was while eating at a Steak-n-Shake.

This lady was all offended. She noticed I was nursing. She pointed me out to the waitress. It took the waitress a few momments to catch on. I was being very discrete. Waitress said nope can't do anything and she moved on the conversation.

The lady pointed out to the police that were eating there also. It took them a few minutes to catch on. I was being discrete. She wasn't saying nursing or breast feeding. She was calling it that and telling them to stop that while pointing at me.

Once they caught on. They told her nope but they can stop her from disturbing the peace. LOL They went on eating. She left.
post #8 of 29
11/9/08 at 9:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marsupialmom View Post

Once they caught on. They told her nope but they can stop her from disturbing the peace. LOL They went on eating. She left.
(emphasis mine)





Love that story! Thanks for sharing!
post #9 of 29
11/9/08 at 9:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marsupialmom View Post
She was calling it that and telling them to stop that while pointing at me.

Once they caught on. They told her nope but they can stop her from disturbing the peace. LOL They went on eating. She left.


I can see why the officers were confused though. Sheesh, calling breastfeeding "that".
post #10 of 29
11/9/08 at 10:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unoppressed MAMA Q View Post
If someone is obviously trying to get off on picking on me/ordering me around, I am happy to tell them that they're treading thin ice and likely to be eaten, what with my voracious nursing appetite and all....
Ain't that the truth!!! I'd probably say the same. I don't think I'd call the police unless it was a highly escalated situation...and I mean to the point where I thought I was going to have to defend myself and fist fight.
post #11 of 29
11/9/08 at 10:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Belle View Post
I can see why the officers were confused though. Sheesh, calling breastfeeding "that".
"Officers! She's doing...that!": I keep picturing these poor officers, trying to figure out what sick, perverted thing you were up to, that the woman could not even bring herself to say out loud! What an anticlimax it must have been for them!
post #12 of 29
11/9/08 at 10:24pm
poor police officers.. they are probably looking at your thinking ok she's eating... holding baby... shes fully clothed.. doesnt seem to be doing anything outrageous... what is this nutcase talking about
post #13 of 29
11/10/08 at 12:41am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jocelyndale View Post

That said, in 18.5mo of nursing in C'ville, I have only been hassled (and I'm using that term, even though I didn't realize it was happening at that instant) on one or two occasions (same person).

I nurse my toddler everywhere. C'ville is pretty crunchy-friendly.

Wow, hi! So cool to see someone else from cville! I think you're absolutely right. It never even occurred to me that it might be a problem until I wandered into this particular forum and started reading some of the horror stories! I consider my question very hypothetical -- I really don't anticipate any problems at all. I'm glad to live where I do.
post #14 of 29
11/10/08 at 5:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marsupialmom View Post
...

This lady was all offended. She noticed I was nursing. She pointed me out to the waitress. It took the waitress a few momments to catch on. I was being very discrete. Waitress said nope can't do anything and she moved on the conversation.
Score Waitress 1 Idiot Lady 0
You go Waitress person ... and that's saying a lot since they mostly side with the "other" customer.

Quote:
The lady pointed out to the police that were eating there also. It took them a few minutes to catch on. I was being discrete. She wasn't saying nursing or breast feeding. She was calling it that and telling them to stop that while pointing at me.

Once they caught on. They told her nope but they can stop her from disturbing the peace. LOL They went on eating. She left.
Wow!! Score points for the boys (or girls) in Blue! Guess their mama's taught them well and that's why they're so smart.
Score Waitress 1 Police 1 Idiot Lady 0

My guess is she'll never do that again or it may end up with Idiot Lady in the negative column.
post #15 of 29
11/10/08 at 10:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Belle View Post
I can see why the officers were confused though. Sheesh, calling breastfeeding "that".
post #16 of 29
11/10/08 at 12:38pm
another charlottesvillian here!

there are actually several of us here.

i wanted to second jocelyndale's post that i have never encountered really any issues while nursing, during 18 months, here in c-ville. never. i've nursed at the DT mall, parks, restaurants, the mudhouse, java java, pretty much everywhere you can think of. even some non-crunchy places like sam's club and k-mart. no one there seemed to care, either.

oh, and i was once walking around belmont park with DD in a mei-tai. she was nursing and i figured it must be pretty discreet, but an older man walking his dog said hi and chuckled at me: "the temptation must be too great for her with them right in her face like that."

but he was being pretty natural/friendly about the whole thing.

honestly, as DD gets older, i keep waiting to get hassled, but it hasn't happened. we nurse less while out and about than we used to, mostly because she doesn't ask all the time, but like i said, we have never had an issue.

btw, i'm gonna PM you and see where you live in town and if you'd like to meet up with some of us MDC mamas! we're pretty nice, if i do say so myself.
post #17 of 29
11/10/08 at 12:51pm
Another Charlottesvillian!

I've never had any trouble either.
post #18 of 29
11/10/08 at 1:07pm
No, but when I was harassed at the zoo, I talked to a zoo employee who called security. The security guard talked to me and then escorted him out and banned him from the zoo for a year and sent a letter to his parents and to his school.
post #19 of 29
11/10/08 at 4:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by the_lissa View Post
No, but when I was harassed at the zoo, I talked to a zoo employee who called security. The security guard talked to me and then escorted him out and banned him from the zoo for a year and sent a letter to his parents and to his school.
Was this in Canada and did you post about it here on MDC? 'Cuz I think I remember that!
post #20 of 29
11/10/08 at 6:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Belle View Post
I can see why the officers were confused though. Sheesh, calling breastfeeding "that".
Yah, that's what the store manager said to me too. "You can't do that here." :
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Mothering › Forums › Breastfeeding › Lactivism › Has anyone called the police after being harassed about NIP?