Video on hugging consent taken down after criticism

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre has taken down three online video advertisements related to its 'We Consent' campaign, following criticism of one advert in particular.

It features grandparents arriving at a front door and enthusiastically hugging a young boy, but when they approach a teenage girl standing behind him, she looks unenthusiastic about the upcoming greeting.

The advert stops at that point with the words, "Not everyone wants a hug".

The ad generated much criticism online and also received international coverage in the New York Post and and The Hungarian Conservative.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre has removed it along with two others.

In a statement, DRCC said: "We-Consent is a long-term campaign as part of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre's prevention work to increase the awareness and practice of consent in Ireland.

"We created three videos premised on the idea that boundaries should be respected from an early age and to respect others' boundaries too. We are going to remove the videos from our social media channels while we reflect on whether they are having the positive effect we want them to have."

The We-Consent project is supported by the Department of Justice and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.

Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said: "The video produced by the DRCC involving grandparents does not represent the views of the Government.

"It was both inappropriate and demeaning to grandparents and has been removed by DRCC following my officials engagement with them.

"It goes without saying that having loving grandparents in a child’s life is an incredibly positive thing to be cherished and not something to be campaigned against. While it is vital to ensure that people understand the concept of consent when it comes to sexual relationships, this video did not advance that aim and in many ways was counterproductive."

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said it will not be commenting further until a review is carried out.