Why is it important to have a safe and healthy relationship? Why is important to know your resources? I'll tell you why... Nearly 1.5 million high school students report being in an abusive relationship, 1 in 3 teens have reported having been physically or emotionally abused by a dating partner, dating abuse can begin as early as the sixth grade, 1 in 4 girls will be sexual assaulted in college by a boyfriend or close friend. I believe that in order to prevent dating abuse we need to not only know what is going on around us but to also gain a true understanding.
Signs you could be in an abusive relationship:
-Relationship Becomes Serious VERY Quickly
-BIG Mood Swings
-Extreme Jealousy
-Constantly Making False Accusations
-Extreme Possessiveness
-Isolation from Family & Friends
-Explosive Temper
-Breaking up often and over & over again
-Feeling afraid of this person
-This person touches you in an unwanted way
-Being threatened
-Feeling manipulated or controlled
-Not being allowed to, or being afraid to, make decisions for yourself
-Feeling nervous or sick to your stomach when this person is around
-Not having your thoughts, wishes or personal space respected
-Losing your friends because of this person
-Feeling isolated, maybe even alone
Follow these tips to help you create and maintain a healthy relationship:
-Speak Up. In a healthy relationship, if something is bothering you, its best to talk about it instead of holding it in.
-Respect Your Partner. Your partner’s wishes and feelings have value. Let your significant other know you are making an effort to keep their ideas in mind. Mutual respect is essential in maintaining healthy relationships.
-Compromise. Disagreements are a natural part of healthy relationships, but it’s important that you find a way to compromise if you disagree on something. Try to solve conflicts in a fair and rational way.
-Be Supportive. Offer reassurance and encouragement to your partner. Also, let your partner know when you need their support. Healthy relationships are about building each other up, not putting each other down.
-Respect Each Other’s Privacy. Just because you’re in a relationship, doesn't mean you have to share everything and constantly be together. Healthy relationships require space.
Meeting New People:
-Be true to yourself if someone is pressuring you. “I don’t want to” is ALWAYS a good enough reason. They should respect your cautions, if they don’t, this may indicate future issues. (red flag)
-Meet people around your age. Large age differences can lead to power and control issues
-If your parents disapprove talk to them about why. They have experiences with more people in life and know what they are talking about
-Healthy relationships involve respect, good communication, trust, honesty, and equality. In a healthy relationship you make decisions together and can openly discuss whatever you’re dealing with.
-You enjoy spending time together but you can also be happy apart.
-Communication is the KEY to building a healthy relationship. The first step is making sure you both want and expect the same things—being on the same page is very important. [endif]