Every relationship goes through difficult patches. Having disagreements and differences of opinion are quite normal. However, there are some things everyone deserves from a relationship and these things are what make the relationship healthy and more likely to last:

• Respect - Understanding that people should feel free to be themselves, having their views listened to, feeling valued and to also give respect back.
• Equality - being part of decision making and being treated fairly.
• Compassion - being cared for and treated with kindness.
• Trust - being believed and able to do the things you want to do, trusting each other and feeling good about yourself.
• Consensual - not being pressured into doing things you don't want to do, feeling comfortable in saying 'No'.

If you do not feel that you are listened to, valued or treated with kindness, the relationship might not be right for you.

Healthy Relationships should make you feel good about yourself and your partner.

Read more about unhealthy relationships.

• Abuse can happen to anyone. Studies show it happens in straight and gay relationships, to people from all backgrounds and can happen to men and women.
• Abuse is about one person trying to have power and control over another person and can lead to physical assaults, emotional abuse, financial control and sexual violence. Many relationships that start as unhealthy relationships go on to be abusive.
• 1 in 5 boys and 1 in 10 girls think that abuse or violence against women is acceptable.
• Up to 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men will experience some form of abuse or violence in a relationship. Over 100 women a year are murdered by an abusive partner.
• Abuse is never acceptable. It can wreck your relationship, lead to depression, ruin your job and later in life it can affect the chances of you having a good bond with your children.