In brief
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre released a short video that showed grandparents enthusiastically hugging a boy, told to respect boundaries, but it drew ire from the government and the public. Justice Minister Adam Mandeville labelled the clip “inappropriate and demeaning to grandparents,” and the ad was taken down. The campaign, called We‑Consent, aims to teach consent but critics say the video may do more harm than good. The Dept. of Justice and other agencies are reviewing the material while politicians call for better messaging on the issue.
The Irish justice minister slammed a Dublin Rape Crisis Centre ad that showed grandparents hugging a child, calling it “inappropriate and demeaning”.
The clip, part of the We‑Consent campaign, depicts two elderly parents enthusiastically hugging a boy, only for his granddaughter to look uncomfortable. The message—“not everyone wants a hug, even from those who love them” —was intended to underline consent but missed its mark, critics say.
Minister Adam Mandeville said the video does not represent government views and was removed after engagement with the DRCC. Fianna Fáil’s Jim O’Callaghan added that officials had the ad taken down and stated it was “counter‑productive.”
The campaign is backed by the Department of Justice, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and CUAN. A statement to RTÉ said the videos were produced on a low budget with volunteers and are not part of a government advertising push.
Senator Gareth Scahill called the production a waste of public money, asking what would happen if airports required consent forms just to greet family. The DRCC confirmed it is reviewing the footage and has temporarily removed it from social media.
Facebook and TikTok eventually took down the clip after further complaints, but the incident highlighted the fine line NGOs walk when tackling sensitive topics like consent.
