Sexuality expert says parents should seek consent before changing baby's nappy

A sexuality expert has caused uproar on social media by saying that parents should seek consent before changing their baby's nappy.

Deanne Carson made the suggestion when talking to ABC News on a news segment about teaching consent to children.

When asked about how to foster a culture of consent, Carson said you should ask infants questions, such as 'I'm going to change your nappy now, is that OK?'

She continued:

If you leave a space and wait for body language and wait to make eye-contact then you're letting that child know that their response matters.

Despite asking for consent, she also accepted that babies aren't capable of providing it:

Of course a baby is not going to respond ‘yes mum, that is awesome, I’d love to have my nappy changed.’

Many were shocked by Carson's suggestion, focusing on the issue that babies are too young to give consent:

Others, however, stressed the importance of teaching consent to children from a young age:

In light of the uproar surrounding the suggestion, Carson defended her comments in a statement issued to the Daily Mail Australia:

One in twelve girls are sexually abused before the age of six. Most of those by a family member or someone trusted by the family, she said.

If the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has taught us anything, it's that it's never too early to tell children that we care for them, respect them and will protect them

More: Parents seek professional to teach kids about gender and consent because they don't trust the school system

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