According to loveisrespect.org, relationships fall on a spectrum from healthy to abusive with unhealthy falling somewhere in between.

Unhealthy relationships have the following characteristics: 

• Breaks in communication 
• Disrespect
• Dishonesty
• Struggles for control 
• Inequality

Take a quiz to see where your relationship may fall on the spectrum, or learn more about the characteristics of each category. 

Setting and respecting boundaries is essential to any relationship, romantic or friendly. To create and maintain healthy relationships, understand your own needs, then communicate and negotiate realistic expectations with friends and partners.

• Emotional boundaries - Communicating emotional needs and expectations, respecting each other's privacy and personal emotions
• Physical boundaries - Setting and respecting expectations for personal touch and physical space (consent, level of comfort with Public Displays of Affection [PDA])
• Digital boundaries - Discuss comfort levels with sharing relationship information online, access to passwords, image and video sharing, and location sharing
• Personal time/space - Establishing time for self-care and personal hobbies, communicating and respecting needs for alone time and personal schedules

Note: Boundaries look different for different individuals based on their comfort levels and lived experiences. Your boundaries should be respected by your partner. 

Consent is an ongoing mutual agreement between partners about what they want to experience, ensuring that all parties involved understand and respect each other's boundaries. It establishes mutual respect and prevents coercion or harm, creating a foundation for healthy and respectful interactions in all types of relationships.

Remember FRIES to ensure consent meets the following criteria in your daily life:

• Freely Given - Consent must be given voluntarily, without pressure, manipulation, or coercion.
• Reversible - Anyone can change their mind and withdraw consent at any time, regardless of prior agreements.
• Informed - Consent is only valid if all parties have the full information about what they are agreeing to, including potential risks or details.
• Enthusiastic - Consent should reflect excitement or genuine willingness, rather than obligation or reluctance.
• Specific - Consent is given for a particular activity, and agreeing to one thing doesn’t imply consent for anything else.

What consent does and doesn't look like

While conflict is normal in all relationships, your arguments shouldn't turn into personal attacks or efforts to lower the other's self-esteem. Conflict in unhealthy relationships may leave you feeling fear of retaliation or physical harm.

Take the following steps to resolve conflict in a healthy way: 

• Establish boundaries - Ensure both parties are treated with respect
• Find the real issue - Arguments often occur when one partner's wants or needs aren't being met
• Agree to disagree - Focus on what matters most
• Compromise when possible - Allow both parties to be satisfied with the outcome
• Consider your partner's views on the issue

Unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or pregnancy. This behavior often exploits power imbalances between individuals and can create a hostile, intimidating, or offensive environment.

Any non-consensual sexual act, including unwanted touching, forced sexual intercourse, incest, or statutory rape (sex with a minor, 16 years or younger). It often involves physical force, threats, or manipulation. 

A pattern of abusive behavior in an intimate or family relationship where one person exerts control over another through physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, or financial abuse. It can involve threats or violence by a current or former spouse, partner, co-parent, or someone the victim has lived with.

Physical violence or threat of violence committed by a current or former romantic or intimate partner. It can take the form of physical, emotional, psychological, or sexual abuse and may also involve controlling or manipulative behavior. Dating violence often includes patterns of jealousy, threats, or isolation and can happen in both teen and adult relationships.

A pattern of unwanted repeated attention and harassment that causes an individual to fear for their safety and suffer substantial emotional distress. Stalking behaviors may include following someone, sending unwanted messages, showing up uninvited, or using digital means to track or monitor a person's activities. While not always sexual in nature, stalking often has a sexual or romantic motive and can escalate into physical or sexual violence.