When they are healthy, dating relationships make you feel good, safe and respected. They share a few common elements:

🗨  Open, honest communication: talking about your troubles, about what you’re feeling and thinking and about what’s important for you, and asking your partner to share in turn.

👂 Listening: being available for your partner, listening to them and feeling listened to non-judgmentally.

⚖ Equality and balance: so that each partner feels equally important in the relationship and no one takes advantage of the other.

👍 Respect: for yourself and your partner (even during disagreements). Respecting their tastes, interests, opinions and choices. Having a positive attitude and using kind, supportive words and affectionate gestures. Some examples are “Wow, that outfit looks great on you!”, “Don’t give up—I’m rooting for you!”, “I understand. It’s lousy, but you’ll succeed, I’m sure!”

🧘‍♀️ Freedom: feeling free to express your needs, wants and boundaries. Feeling that you can change your mind with no consequences for yourself or your relationship. Being free to have your own leisure-time activities.

👏 Wanting what’s best for your partner and being happy when they succeed.  

🥰 Trust: knowing that you can count on this person (and that they can do likewise) because they have always been respectful and honest with you.

💗 Sharing, having fun, loving one another!

And, most importantly, a healthy, respectful relationship is based on the free and informed consent of each person involved. This is very important when you have sexual relations with your partner.

What is consent?