Pre-school children should be taught about issues surrounding consent, an expert advising the Council of Europe has argued. 

The age of consent for sexual activity in Ireland is 17; however, the Government’s new curriculum for primary schools is due to teach children about the concept of consent. 

Rather than focusing on sexual activity, the lessons teach children about the general principal of the right to say ‘no’ in respect to certain things and bodily autonomy. 

On Lunchtime Live, Ellen O'Malley Dunlop, who advises the Council of Europe on violence against women and domestic violence, said even young children should be taught about consent. 

“I don't think it's a good idea to sit children down per se, particularly young children,” she explained. 

“I think consent is all about how you react with your child around. 

“Say things like, for example, if granny comes around for a visit to the house, you're not going to say to your child, ‘Give Granny a hug.’

“It's all about stitching into your everyday interactions with your child that you respect their wishes and that you allow them to take decisions.”

Ms O'Malley Dunlop continued that children of all ages should understand they have a choice about what they do with their bodies. 

“Not all the children necessarily want to give you a hug or anybody a hug,” she said. 

“And again, what this is doing, it's actually preparing the child for later life. 

“We're modelling for later life and ensuring that the child is building up their bodily autonomy and that you ask before touching.

“So, those kinds of things, I think, are very important.”

Main image: A group of primary school children during a school assembly. Picture by: NorthScape / Alamy Stock Photo