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Start Talking!
Know! What a
Healthy Dating Relationship Is, and What It Is Not
2/28/2017
It is always important to focus attention on abuse in young people’s
relationships and provide information to help prevent it.
In a previous Know! tip, The Not-So-Innocent Side of Teen Romance, we
discussed the prevalence of physical, emotional and verbal dating abuse
that takes place among youth, as well as the long-lasting problems that
can develop because of it, including substance abuse, eating disorders
and risky sexual behaviors.
In this tip, we highlight the importance of regular and ongoing,
positive communication with your child on the topic of What a Healthy
“Dating” Relationship Is, and What It Is Not; teaching them early that
healthy relationships are based on equality and respect while abusive
ones are based on power and control.
A HEALTHY DATING RELATIONSHIP includes a partner who:
Treats you with respect
Listens to your ideas and is willing to compromise at times
Shares some of your same interests such as movies, sports, reading,
dancing or music
Is able to share their thoughts and feelings with you
Is comfortable around your friends and family
Is proud of your accomplishments and successes
Respects your privacy and your boundaries
Is caring and honest
Encourages you to do well in school and in your extracurricular
activities
A healthy relationship is a two-way street, of course, so positive
communication, kindness and mutual respect must come from both partners.
A HEALTHY DATING RELATIONSHIP does NOT include a partner who:
Checks your cell phone, social media or email without permission
Requires you to “check in” or needs to know where you are all the time
Constantly puts you down
Is extremely jealous or insecure
Has an explosive temper
Tries to isolate you from family or friends
Makes false accusations about you
Has extreme mood swings
Is possessive of you
Tells you what to do
Threatens you or makes you feel scared
Physically hurts you in any way
Tries to pressure you or force you into any type of high risk behavior,
including sexual contact and/or drug and alcohol use
It is especially important for both partners to always be clear and
specific in communicating their sexual boundaries. One may wrongly take
an “I’m not sure,” comment to mean that with a little pressure or push,
she/he might say, “Yes.” Young ladies in particular, need to be firm in
saying, “No,” and boys in particular, need to know that if a girl says,
“No,” and he/she continues anyway, it is rape. NO MEANS NO! This is a
reminder that should be shared with your child often.
Young people should also be taught to trust their gut and listen to
their inner voice. If they find themselves feeling uncomfortable in a
situation with their partner or with the relationship itself, they need
to have an exit plan. Talking regularly with your child, ideally,
before a teen “dating” issue has a chance to arise, will help to build
their trust and confidence in you, increasing the likelihood of them
coming to you for support and guidance if, or when, needed.
You can refer your tweens/teens to loveisrespect.org to access
information and get help in an environment that is designed
specifically for them. This is also an excellent resource for parents,
educators and other caring adults, with trainings, toolkits and
curriculum to promote healthy relationships and prevent future patterns
of abuse.
Love is Respect offers free and confidential phone, live chat and
texting services 24 hours a day. Chat at loveisrespect.org; text
‘loveis’ to 22522; or call 1-866-331-9474.
Learn how to get the conversation started at StartTalking.Ohio.Gov.
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