Healthy Intimacy and Relationships

Everyone deserves to be in a HEALTHY relationship.

What is a balanced, non-violent, non-abusive relationship?  These relationships take time and nurturing to develop and must be accomplished mutually.  They are based on open communication, deep caring, and a joint desire to build a healthy relationship.

What is Dating and Relationship Violence?
What are Myths about Dating and Relationship Violence?

Follow the above links for printable versions of information that describe abusive relationships, what your rights are as a human being in a relationship, and some myths and facts about interpersonal violence.

For information on what equality between partners looks like and a checklist for healthy relationships, check out our Equality Wheel and Healthy Relationships  Checklist.

Respect:  Partners listen in a non-judgmental way, are understanding, emotionally affirming and value their partner's opinion.

Trust and Support:  Partners support each others' goals and respect each others' feelings, friends, activities, contributions, and opinions.

Honesty and Accountability:  Partners accept responsibility for themselves, acknowledge past behavior, can admit being wrong, and communicate openly and truthfully.

Shared Responsibility:  Partners reach mutual agreements on fair distribution of work and make family decisions together.

Negotiation and Fairness:  Partners seek mutually satisfying resolutions to conflict, can accept change, and are willing to compromise.

Economic Partnership:  Partners make financial decisions together ensuring that both partners benefit from financial arrangements.

Non-Threatening Behavior:  Partners speak and act in ways that cultivate and support a safe and comfortable environment in which they can express themselves and make decisions.

Responsible Parenting:  partners share parental responsibilities and are positive, non-violent role models for children.