Skip to primary navigation | Skip to secondary navigation | Skip to content | Skip to footer

• Child care
• Community
• Family
• Indigenous
• Seniors
• Violence prevention
• Youth
• The department

Violence prevention

• About domestic and family violence prevention
  • What is domestic and family violence?
  • Effect of domestic and family violence on children
  • Department's role in domestic and family violence prevention
  • True stories
  • Tips for a healthy relationship
• Dealing with domestic violence
  • Help services available
  • How to get help if you are a perpetrator of violence
  • Safety plan
  • Domestic violence orders
• Queensland domestic violence legislation
• Domestic and family violence month
• StART Thinking Poster Competition
• Domestic and family violence prevention awards
  • Award categories
  • How to nominate
  • Selection criteria
  • 2008 winners
  • 2007 winners
  • 2006 winners
  • 2005 winners
  • 2004 winners
• Ministerial Advisory Council on domestic and family violence
• Contacts
  • Court support services
  • Other organisations
  • Regional domestic and family violence services
• Forms
• Funding
• Publications

Tips for a healthy relationship

A healthy relationship:

• involves two people who feel good about themselves and each other
• is a friendship - not just a physical relationship
• accepts the need for privacy on both sides
• allows for differences of opinion
• does not make unrealistic demands on either partner
• allows for equal sharing of power and control
• is basically calm - not frantic
• should be fun and enjoyable.

Know yourself

It is important to know yourself before you fall in love. Healthy relationships allow you time and space to maintain your own life and time to pursue you own interests, as well as enjoying the time you spend together.

Know your rights

Relationships are about mutual respect. In any relationship you have the right to expect to share equally in decision making. If the other person always makes decisions about where you will go together and who you will spend time with then this could be an indicator of someone who likes to have power and control in a relationship.

You also have the right to:

• express your opinions and have them respected (even if your partner does not agree with you)
• take the relationship slow and only progress at your own pace
• have your feelings about any sexual activities respected
• have your physical and emotional needs regarded as important as your partner's
• not be physically, sexually or emotionally abused.

Know the danger signs

You can tell if you are in an abusive relationship by keeping an eye out for these danger signs:

• control:
  • is when your partner wants to know your every move and checks up on you
  • will not allow you to make your own decisions
  • threatens or forces you to do things against your will.
• jealousy and isolation:
  • when they cut you off from your friends or family
  • control your life through jealousy - you may not do things that you would normally do because you are worried about how your partner will react
  • causes trouble when you talk to other people
• lack of respect for your personal space and makes you feel uncomfortable
• use of violence and/or abuse to solve problems.

Last updated: 24 June 2008.

Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy | Access keys | Feedback

Other languages

© The State of Queensland (Department of Communities) 2008.

Queensland Government