Because the signs of abuse might be unrecognizable at first, any important relationship should be evaluated periodically to ensure you’re building healthy connections.
Healthy relationship
- Open communication and active listening.
- Respect for one another’s minds and bodies.
- Trust in one another.
- Honesty, with an appreciation for privacy.
- Personal space when necessary.
- Equality in expectations and decision-making.
- Mutual sexual choices based on consent, comfort, and safety.
Unhealthy relationship
- Little communication and frequent fights.
- Disrespect for one another’s minds and bodies.
- Distrust in what one another says or does.
- Dishonesty and lies from one or both parties.
- Little personal space.
- Inequality, with one or both parties believing their desires are more important than the others’.
- Pressure to engage in sexual activity by one or both parties.
Abusive relationship
- Hurtful communication and insults.
- Harmful treatment of the mind and body of one or both parties.
- Accusations followed by physical or verbal attacks.
- Denial of abusive actions.
- Isolation from family and friends.
- Control of one party’s thoughts and actions by the other.
- Forced or nonconsensual sexual activity.