Story perspectives

DRCC Withdraws We-Consent Video After Criticism of Grandparents Clip

By Drooid · Oct 24, 2026, 2:38 AM UTC · How we work

Left

Withdrawal to protect mission

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre removed a social-media video from its We-Consent campaign showing grandparents hugging grandchildren on 22 October 2026 in Dublin, Ireland.
The withdrawal was explained by the centre to stop negative attention that could undermine support for survivors and broader consent education, protecting its mission.
The video used volunteers, staff and feedback from over 20 consent workshops with diverse participants.

Right

Taxpayer Funded Offense

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre removed a We-Consent video showing grandparents hugging grandchildren after public criticism on 22 October 2026.
Critics argued the taxpayer-funded ad wasted money and portrayed grandparents as aggressors, with Fine Gael Senator Gareth Scahill calling it offensive to older citizens.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said the video was inappropriate and demeaning to grandparents.
The video was funded by the Department of Justice and Migration with Irish taxpayer money.

Center

Government Disavows Advert

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre withdrew a We-Consent video showing grandparents hugging grandchildren after public criticism on 22 October 2026.
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said the government does not support the advert, calling it an error unrelated to gender-based violence work.
The Department of Justice clarified the clips were produced by the DRCC at low cost with volunteers and were not part of any government advertising campaign.

Blindspot

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said the government does not support the advert and described it as an error unrelated to gender-based violence work.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Center-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Left-leaning and Right-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

The #MeToo movement began when activist Tarana Burke coined “Me Too” in 2006 and exploded as a hashtag after Alyssa Milano’s October 2017 tweet following the Weinstein scandal, spreading to at least 85 countries and prompting a European Parliament session. Ireland’s 2018 consent-education funding and the 2026 Dublin Rape Crisis Centre video criticism echo this decade-long clash over survivor-centered policies.

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Withdrawal to protect mission

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre removed a social-media video from its We-Consent campaign showing grandparents hugging grandchildren on 22 October 2026 in Dublin, Ireland.
The withdrawal was explained by the centre to stop negative attention that could undermine support for survivors and broader consent education, protecting its mission.
The video used volunteers, staff and feedback from over 20 consent workshops with diverse participants.

1 / 5