Nicole Fraser says she was breastfeeding her 10-month-old daughter on Friday while sitting in an orthopedic waiting area at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, when another woman told her a man was video-recording her with his cellphone.
"It felt like I was being violated, like I was being sexually objectified for nursing my child," said Fraser.
I felt harassed and I felt that everybody had let me down.- Nicole Fraser
Fraser said she went to the security desk to get help, but was told they couldn't help her.
"At that point I'm crying," said Fraser.
She said she went back and asked security a second time for help, and when they said they were busy with a Code White (an aggressive person), she called the police.
"I don't know what that man's purpose was of videotaping me," said Fraser. "I can't even begin to fathom."
Health authority apologizes
Fraser said the man denied recording her.
She said she was quite upset about the lack of action by hospital security.
"Security never once left their office," said Fraser. "They did not came to the orthopedic area until after the police were called and after the police separated everybody."
The Nova Scotia Health Authority has apologized to Fraser.
"Recording or taking photos of other people or patients or their family members is not permitted in any of our facilities," said Greg Boone, a spokesperson for the authority.
'I felt harassed'
Boone said they strongly promote breastfeeding in all of their buildings.
Boone said the health authority's manager of security will follow up with the company that provides security at the building.
"I felt harassed and I felt that everybody had let me down," said Fraser.
Cape Breton Regional Police said no charges will be laid in connection to the incident.
"I had assumed, wrongly, that there would have been some law that could have protected me in that situation,"said Fraser.
She and her husband have since met with hospital officials and Fraser said she feels a bit better. She said she'd like to see steps taken so this doesn't happen to anyone else.
"The main thing I'd like to see is more training for security, they were ultimately the ones who let us down," she said. "I feel like I was treated like a nuisance."
Fraser said she's received lots of support from friends and family since it happened. She said she'll continue to breastfeed in public, but she will be more cautious.