Healthy Relationships

Healthy relationships look like:

• Both partners treat each other with equality, love and respect.
• You’re honest with your partner and trust them.
• You talk openly about problems and listen to one another.
• You respect each other’s opinions.
• You and your partner solve problems without violence.
• You and your partner keep relationships with friends and family outside of your own relationship.
• You talk about birth control choices together and both consent to sexual activity.

In an abusive relationship, one partner tries to maintain power and control over the other person by limiting their freedom and isolating them from friends and family. Domestic violence is a pattern of abuse that occurs over a period of time.

• Your partner monitors your calls, messages and social media.
• Your partner tries to keep you from seeing your friends and family.
• Your partner tells you how you should dress, who you can and cannot talk to, and where you can and can’t go.
• Your partner never apologizes for their bad behavior, and instead finds ways to put the blame on you.
• Your partner controls the household finances without discussion, including taking your money or refusing to provide money for necessary expenses like food or rent.