Education & Resources
Building Healthy Relationship
Pillars of Healthy Relationships
Respect
You recognize that your partner is a whole person, with different experiences and opinions –and that is okay!
Trust
The faith you have in someone that they will always love you and that they are someone you can rely on.
Honesty
Always telling your partner the truth and being able to be completely open with them.
Communication
You are able to use verbal and written communication to show that you understand your partners point of view, that you support them, and you are their #1 fan.
Individuality
Your own identity, interests, hobbies and friends are what attracted you to each other in the first place!
Understanding
Being aware, sensitive and intuitive with the people you love.
Honesty
Always telling your partner the truth and being able to be completely open with them.
Self-Confidence
You know who are are as a person and are proud of yourself; You do not need to change who you are to make others happy.
Being a Role Model
Role model what you want your relationship to look like by being kind, accepting, and patient, even when in highly emotional situations.
Attraction and Affection
Small physical gestures of affection, like hugs, kisses, and touch, can go a long way to keeping each person feeling comforted and secure. As long as both partners feel comfortable with how their needs match up, physical intimacy is an excellent expression of attraction and affection, but is never an obligation.
Fair Fighting
A conflict resolution process where each partner respects boundaries when discussing disagreements and differences.
Teen Dating Violence
Warning Signs
Relationship develops quickly
Physical force, or threat of force during arguments
Verbal abuse
Cruelty to animals and/or children
Threats of violence
Controlling behavior
Constant emails, calls, and texting
Forced into sexting
Isolation from friends, family, and school activities
Blaming others for problems or feelings
For other warning signs see: https://www.loveisrespect.org/about-dating/warning-signs-of-abuse/
Definition
Teen dating violence
is a pattern of controlling behavior exhibited towards one teenager by another in a dating relationship.
There are four major types of teen dating violence:
Physical abuse – hitting, punching, slapping, shoving, kicking
Emotional abuse – threats, name calling, screaming, yelling, ridiculing, spreading rumors, isolation, intimidation, stalking, and, more recently, using technology to harass or intimidate by texting, calling, and/or bullying or monitoring via social networking sites
Sexual abuse – unwanted touching or kissing, forced or coerced engagement in sexual acts
Digital Abuse – the use of technology to make another person feel unsafe, constant monitoring by a dating partner when texting, cell phone calls or social media use.
The Dating Bill of Rights
I have the right to:
trust myself and my instincts
be respected as a person
change my mind
express my feelings
refuse a date
not be physically, emotionally, or sexually abused