JOINT BASE CHARLESTON,S.C. -- February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness month. It is important for teens to know what to look for in budding romances. Here are a few thoughts on healthy relationships.

Being in a healthy relationship means...
...loving, respecting and taking care of yourself and your partner.
...respecting individuality, embracing differences and allowing each other to be themselves.
...doing things with friends and family and having activities independent of each other.
...discussing things, allowing for differences of opinion and compromising equally.
...expressing and listening to each other's feelings, needs and desires.
...trusting your partner.
...listening to each other without judgment.
...being honest with yourself and your partner.
...taking responsibility for your actions and feelings.
...respecting each other's need and right for privacy.
...respecting boundaries and physical space.
...being able to say no to anything you're uncomfortable with.
...resolving conflicts in a peaceful and nonviolent way.
...sharing decisions about things affecting both partners.
...having room for positive growth and learning more about each other.

Family Advocacy can be reached at (843) 963-6972 (Airbase) or (843) 794-7435
(Naval Weapons Station) for more information.  The Domestic Abuse Victim
Advocate is also available 24/7 at (843) 310-1884 to respond to victims of
Domestic Violence.