Healthy Relationships

There’s a person attached to everybody, respect both

Healthy relationships are all about respecting each other. You should feel loved, safe and free to be yourself. Relationships can be confusing and it can be difficult to understand what is and is not normal behaviour. However, disrespectful and unacceptable behaviour can come in many forms. It is not limited to just physical behaviour; it can also go way beyond that. For example, it is not okay for someone to try to pressure you into sending a nude pic, or to expect the same things to happen that they have seen in a porn film. If someone makes you do something you do not want to, makes you feel scared, intimidated or tries controlling you, it is not acceptable and is never okay.

What is consent?

Consent means giving permission for something to happen or agreeing to do something and being comfortable with that decision. It does not matter what gender you are, or whether you are straight, gay or bisexual, if you are planning to do anything sexual then both of you must give consent.

Consent has to be given freely and no one can be made to consent to something. It is not consent if someone does something because they feel like they have to. You can also never assume that someone is giving consent – you have to be sure.

Consent is an essential part of healthy relationships and it is important to know what it is and the many ways to spot it. Both you and the person you are with always need to consent before sex or any intimate activity.

If you want to do something sexual with your partner, the responsibility lies with you to check for consent, not with your partner to say ‘no’ if they don’t want to.

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