Healthy Relationships
&
Teen Dating Violence
“Love in such a way that the person you love feels free”
– Thich Nhat Hanh
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
- 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
- Fighting Fair
- A conflict resolution process where each partner respects boundaries when discussing disagreements and differences
- 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 & 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.
TEEN DATING VIOLENCE
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.
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/
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