Healthy & Respectful Relationships Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to healthy and respectful relationships, including physical, emotional, and social changes during the transition to adulthood, types of relationships, consent, sexual health, and gender-based violence.

Transition from Youth to Adulthood

Exciting yet challenging period involving increased freedom and new opportunities alongside responsibilities like managing money and career choices.

Examples of Transitions in Young Adulthood

Leaving school, getting a job, starting further study, developing serious romantic relationships, navigating new friendships, traveling, and moving to a new city.

Physical Changes in Adulthood - Skeletal System

Growth mostly complete by 25 years of age, peak bone mass achieved.

Physical Changes in Adulthood - Respiratory System

Lungs mature in young adulthood.

Physical Changes in Adulthood - Cardiovascular System

Heart achieves adult size and rhythm.

Physical Changes in Adulthood - Integumentary System

Skin becomes drier and eventually wrinkled. First signs of grey hair and baldness may appear.

Physical Changes in Adulthood - Muscular System

Muscles reach peak performance at 20-30 years.

Physical Changes in Adulthood - Nervous System

Reflexes reach their peak; sensory organs are at their sharpest; brain reaches maximum size by age 20, with some areas continuing to develop.

Prefrontal Cortex

Brain area involved in rational thinking. Matures around 21 years in women and 28 years in men.

Damage to the Prefrontal Cortex

Can be caused by alcohol and drug consumption, leading to impaired decision making, unsafe choices, permanent brain damage, memory consequences, and personality changes.

Emotional Changes in Adulthood

Managing emotions, navigating conflicts, addressing household responsibilities, balancing independence and relationships, and exploring personal boundaries.

Social Changes in Adulthood

Shifting friendships, building new support networks, developing independence in decision-making, managing conflicts in shared living spaces, and understanding responsibilities in relationships.

Family Relationships

Connections with parents, siblings, and other relatives.

Friendships

Close, trusting relationships with friends.

Romantic Relationships

Emotional and/or physical connections with a partner.

Work/Professional Relationships

Relationships with coworkers, bosses, and mentors.

Equality (in Relationships)

Feeling valued and able to give and take in the relationship. No one should have more power than the other.

Safety (in Relationships)

Feeling emotionally safe to share your feelings and physically safe from harm or abuse.

Respect (in Relationships)

Caring about each other’s feelings, needs, thoughts, and rights. Valuing each other’s opinions and treating each other kindly.

Empathy (in Relationships)

Understanding and feeling what someone else is going through by putting yourself in their shoes. Helps offer support when needed.

Loyalty (in Relationships)

Standing by each other, offering support through tough times, and working together even if you don’t always agree.

Trust (in Relationships)

Believing in others to be reliable and dependable, feeling safe both emotionally and physically.

Honesty (in Relationships)

Always telling the truth and not keeping secrets. Being open and straightforward builds trust.

Intimate Relationship

A close, personal connection between two people involving emotional, physical, or sexual closeness, built on trust and mutual respect.

Boundaries in Teenage Relationships

Include freedom to spend time with friends, having personal space, and setting online boundaries (privacy, device usage, social media).

Sexual Boundaries

Open communication about comfort levels, the right to change your mind, essential consent, and understanding that sex isn’t a transaction.

Find the real issue

Arguments aren’t always about what they seem. Pay attention to feelings to understand what’s really wrong.

Communicate openly

Stay calm, explain your feelings, and choose a good time to talk—avoiding conversations when either of you is angry.

Be willing to compromise

A healthy relationship is about balance. Talk about what’s important to each of you and find ways to meet in the middle.

Non-Negotiables in a Relationship

Respect, honesty, valuing what's important, no verbal/emotional abuse, no physical violence, no controlling behavior, and respecting sexual comfort levels.

Sexual Intercourse

Sexual activity involving the insertion of the erect male penis inside the female vagina, followed by thrusting motions for sexual pleasure, reproduction, or both.

Non-Penetrative Sex

Sexual activities that do not involve penetration, such as kissing, touching, rubbing, stroking, and oral sex.

Head, Heart, Body Tool

Tool used to reflect on values, knowledge, feelings, and physical signals when making decisions about sex.

Questions to Consider Before Having Sex

Am I feeling pressured? Does it fit my beliefs? Will I feel guilty? Do I want love, affection, or is it to prove I am sexually attractive?

Safe Sex

Any sexual contact while protecting yourself and your partner from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancy.

Barrier Methods of Contraception

Condoms and diaphragms which prevent sperm from reaching the egg.

Short-Acting Hormonal Methods of Contraception

The Pill, injectable contraception, vaginal ring, and progestogen-only pill taken regularly

Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives

IUDs and contraceptive implants that work for months/years.

Emergency Contraception

Helps prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. Most effective when used sooner, but can be effective for up to 5 days after.

STI

An infection that can be passed from one person to another through sexual contact, including vaginal, anal, or oral sex, and sometimes through skin-to-skin contact.

Common STIs

Include chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, herpes simplex virus (HSV), human papillomavirus (HPV), and HIV.

4 Steps if You Suspect You Have an STI

Seek medical attention, get tested, follow medical advice, and inform sexual partners.

Menstrual Cycle

A natural, monthly process in a woman's body that prepares the uterus for a potential pregnancy, involving hormonal changes, egg development, and the shedding of the uterine lining if pregnancy doesn't occur.

Phases of the Menstrual Cycle

Menstruation, Follicular Phase, Ovulation, Luteal Phase

Fertile Period (28-day cycle)

Typically between days 8 and 19 (days leading up to and including ovulation).

PMS

Characterized by premenstrual symptoms many women get in the days leading up to their period.

Consent

When everybody involved in a sexual experience actively and freely agrees to what is happening without threat, pressure, being intoxicated, or being too young.

Why do people commit sexual violence?

They often don't realize that it is a crime and that it is acceptable.

You can always change your mind

You or your sexual partner can decide at any time that you don’t want to keep going, even if you have already started having sex.

Sexual Assault

Includes rape, incest (sex with a close relative), child abuse, and unwanted sexual behavior, for example, unwanted kissing and touching.

Consequences of Sexual Assault

Serious crimes with maximum penalties between five and 25 years in prison.

Forms of Sexual Harassment

Inappropriate physical contact, sexually suggestive language, or sending sexually explicit emails or messages.

Sexting

Sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photographs, or videos, primarily between mobile phones.

Rape

Occurs when someone is sexually penetrated without their consent.

Aggressive Communications Style

A person expresses their feelings and opinions in a punishing, threatening, demanding or hostile manner.

Assertive Communications Style

A person expresses their feelings, needs and rights or opinions without being punishing or threatening to others and without infringing upon their rights.

Submissive Communications Style

A person fails to express their feelings, needs, opinions or preferences or they may be expressed in an indirect manner.

I' Statements

An ‘I’ statement, we own the feeling, explain the feeling, and make any requests.

Go-to People?

Trusted networks

What is Gender-Based Violence?

Gender discrimination and gender inequality. Gendered violence mainly impacts women, girls and LGBTIQ+ people.

Gender Discrimination In Education

Discouraging girls from taking STEM subjects (e.g., telling girls that science or engineering is "for boys").

Gender Discrimination In Workplace

Paying men more than women for doing the same job with the same qualifications and experience.

Gender Discrimination In Society

Stereotyping roles — e.g., expecting women to cook, clean, or raise children, while men are expected to work and earn.

Physical (Forms of Gender-Based Violence)

kicking, hitting, slapping, biting.

Verbal (Forms of Gender-Based Violence)

name calling, threats, screaming.

Sexual Abuse (Forms of Gender-Based Violence)

rape, sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse and exploitation, sexual harassment, taking and the sharing of sexualised photos.

Gaslighting

Is a form of emotional abuse that causes a victim to question their own feelings, instincts, and sanity, which gives the abusive partner power and control.

Coercive Control

Is a form of manipulation and intimidation to make a victim scared and isolated.