Relationships

Everybody is different; throughout our lives we will have many different relationships with different people. In any relationship, trust, honesty and respect are very important. Being able to talk to each other about our thoughts and feelings are also important.

Don’t feel pressured or rush into having a relationship.

Healthy relationships should be fun, enjoyable and make us feel good about ourselves.

Often without realising it, some people may find themselves in unhealthy relationships, where a partner, may shout at you, call you names, put you down, hit you, try to control the way you dress ,be sexually demanding and make you feel scared . It may become more about control and power rather than love and respect.

It’s wrong to abuse someone and the fault is with the person doing it, not the person on the receiving end.

Sometimes it is not easy to accept that our relationship is unhealthy and we may find ourselves victims of physical, emotional, sexual or financial abuse.

Do not suffer in silence.

Manchester has numerous agencies that may be able to help and support you.

REMEMBER THAT ABUSE CAN HAPPEN IN ANY RELATIONSHIP AND IT IS NEVER ACCEPTABLE.

https://www.womensaid.org.uk/ Womens Aid can give advice, support and help and it’s free and confidential.

http://www.endthefear.co.uk/ is a national website for help and support and free advice about domestic abuse.

http://www.brokenrainbow.org.uk/ is a website for LGBT people dealing with domestic violence.

https://www.survivorsuk.org/is a website for male survivors of abuse.

https://www.childline.org.uk/ can give advice and support to any young person under 19.

If you’re in immediate danger, leave and go to someone you can trust, call 999 in an immediate emergency and report it as a crime to the police.

If you are in immediate danger but unable to speak you can use ‘The Silent Solution’ system. This is a system for victims of domestic abuse who might be afraid of further danger and escalation of harm if they are overheard when calling 999 in an emergency.

When somebody calls 999, an operator will ask which emergency service is required. If the caller is unable to audibly signal to the operator, the call will be forwarded to an operating system. If 55 is pressed by the caller, the system will detect this. The operator will then transfer the call to the relevant police force as an emergency.