All of your relationships - with friends, family, sexual partners and everyone else in your life - should be based on respect.  That means that people respect you and that you respect them back.  Respect is about treating people well and showing them that they are important to you. Healthy relationships are based on respect and also include trust, support, companionship, affection and intimacy.

It is important to think about how your partner shows you respect.  It is more than just "Will you respect me in the morning?" It is "Will you respect my decisions now and in future? Can I trust you to do what you promise?"

You deserve a partner who respects what you say and how you feel at all times.  That doesn't mean you won't ever disagree with your partner, but it does mean that if you and your partner have different opinions, one person won't always get their way.

When it comes to any kind of sex - oral sex, sexual intercourse, or intimate touching - with someone who doesn't know you, respect you or care about you, you may feel sad, bad, hurt, used or abused. If someone respects you it means they will have respect for you and your decisions. "Yes means Yes" and "No means No!"

In a healthy relationship you have the right to make decisions about what you do with your body and those decisions need to be respected. No one has the right to pressure or force you into having sex or doing any other kind of sexual activity. If you are forced to have sex or perform any other sexual activity, it is sexual assault - and that is a crime - even if it is with your spouse or partner. If you have been sexually assaulted, you can get help and more information from the Unwanted Sex part of this website. You get to decide what's right for you - not someone else.

Your relationships are an important part of who you are - but not the only part. You deserve to be liked, respected and loved by your partner, friends and family.  It is never okay for anyone to hurt you - whether physically, sexually, verbally or emotionally.  Even if someone who hurts you says they just lost their temper, violence is never okay. If you are in a relationship or partnership where this is happening, you should get help. You should tell someone you trust to help you.
 
Healthy relationships and friendships always include mutual respect. You deserve it. You're worth it. ASK FOR RESPECT!