In brief
An advert produced by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) to promote consent was condemned for depicting grandparents hugging a boy straight up. The Irish minister for justice labelled the footage demeaning and inappropriate, leading the DRCC to pull it from social media. Politicians from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil criticised the video and the use of public funds. The campaign, titled ‘We‑Consent’, will review its messaging to ensure it encourages respect for personal boundaries.
The Irish minister for justice has criticised an advertisement by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) for being “inappropriate and demeaning to grandparents”.
The clip shows two grandparents enthusiastically hugging a young boy, while the boy’s granddaughter looks unhappy at the exchange.
The message, “not everyone wants a hug. Even from the people who love them”, sparked backlash and international coverage.
Government response
Fianna Fáil politician Jim O'Callaghan said the video had been removed after engagement with the DRCC and does not represent government views.
He added: “It was inappropriate and demeaning to grandparents, and counter‑productive to consent education.”
Fine Gael’s Senator Gareth Scahill criticised the use of public money for the ad, calling it offensive and a misuse of resources.
He said the video was well‑to‑the‑mark on the subject of consent, questioning whether consent forms would be required at airports.
DRCC’s statement
The DRCC said the ‘We‑Consent’ campaign aims to increase awareness and practice of consent, and that the footage was produced at low cost with volunteers.
It stated it would remove the videos to “reflect on whether they are having the positive effect we want them to have”.
The campaign is supported by the Departments of Justice, Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and CUAN (the Domestic, Sexual and Gender‑Based Violence Agency). All were approached for comment.
