Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

February 12, 2021

Know the Signs of a Healthy Teen Dating Relationship

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

Relationships portrayed in the media can give teens a confusing picture of what a supportive, loving relationship looks like.  As a parent, teacher, or caring adult, you can support them as they navigate their first dating experiences.  Read the characteristics below to help your teen or students understand what a healthy relationship looks like, and how to know when a relationship is unhealthy.

 

Signs of a Healthy Relationship:

• Open Communication. You can openly and honestly say what you’re thinking and feeling.
• Compromise. You are both willing to give and take and work towards solutions that benefit both partners.
• Mutual Respect. You value each other’s opinions and respect boundaries.
• Trust. You place trust in each other and give each other the benefit of the doubt.
• Sexual Consent. Together, you talk about what you want your sexual relationship to look like. You check in with each other and always respect physical boundaries.

 

 

Characteristics of an Unhealthy Relationship:

• Hostility & Intimidation. One partner picks fights and uses guilt or threats to get their way.
• Control. One partner controls what the other does, what they wear, who they see, how they use social media, etc.
• Disrespect. One partner makes fun of the other’s opinions, puts them down, or crosses boundaries.
• Dishonesty. You or your partner lies, hides things, or steals from the other.
• Sexual Violence. One partner refuses to respect physical boundaries. They may force or pressure the other into sexual activities without consent.

 

For further reading:

• Supporting a Teen Survivor
• What is Consent?
• How To Talk to Your Teen about Sexual Violence