Healthy relationships & consent

Lesson 1

What the right partner looks like

The right person makes your life better, not more complicated. Look for someone who:

• Respects your boundaries and your timeline, including waiting, and never pressures you.
• Is honest and does what they say they’ll do.
• Supports your goals, your friendships and your family.
• Treats you well in private and in front of others.
• Shares your values about sex, commitment and family.

Lesson 2

How to find the right person

• Know what you want. Think about your values and your goals before you start dating.
• Take your time. Start with friendship, and get to know someone in groups and over time.
• Talk early about boundaries and expectations, including waiting.
• Watch how they handle “no” and “not yet.” The right person respects both.
• Ask the people who care about you what they see in the relationship.

Lesson 3

Consent is clear, freely given and ongoing

Consent means everyone involved agrees to what’s happening, every time. It can’t be assumed from silence, from a past relationship or from what someone is wearing, and anyone can change their mind at any point.

• Freely given: no pressure, guilt, threats or tricks.
• Clear: a real yes, not a maybe, a shrug or silence.
• Ongoing: checked again as things change, and always OK to take back.
• Possible only when someone can decide: a person who is asleep, passed out, or very drunk or high can’t consent.

Lesson 4

Warning signs

Checking your phone, controlling who you see, jealousy, putting you down or pushing you about sex are warning signs, even when they’re called love.

Check yourself

Myth or fact?

Questions people ask

Asked and answered.