People in healthy relationships get and give respect. Healthy relationships make both you and your partner feel good about yourselves and about each other.

According to the Canadian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists healthy relationships have five qualities:

• Safety – You are not afraid that your partner will hurt you emotionally or physically and you don’t think about hurting him or her. You can change your mind about something (including having sex) without feeling afraid.
• Honesty – You don’t hide anything important from your partner and can say what you think without being put down. You can admit when you are wrong and you expect the other person to do the same.
• Acceptance – You can accept the other person as he or she is without trying to “fix” them. You appreciate your partner’s unique qualities.
• Respect – You respect and think well of each other. Neither partner feels like they are inferior or superior to the other partner in any important ways. You respect each other’s right to have different ideas and time to yourself and/or with your own friends.

• Enjoyment – A good relationship also has to be about enjoyment. If it’s not enjoyable, why bother? You can play and laugh together a lot of the time. In a healthy relationship, you feel more alive when you are with your partner.