Basic Relationships Rights

You have rights

When you care about someone, it’s natural to want to make them happy. It could mean watching their favorite movie together, cooking their favorite meal, or cheering them on as they go for a promotion at work. While these are all nice things to do for your partner, it’s important to make sure you feel safe, happy, and supported too.

Whether you’re single, dating someone new, or you’ve been with your partner for years, you deserve to be treated with love and respect. A good way to do this is to think about the basic rights you (yes, YOU!) have in every relationship, romantic or otherwise. We’ve included an example list below, but we encourage you to make your own!

Make your own relationships bill of rights

Read the bill of rights below out loud to yourself.
Star any rights that don’t feel true for you.
Decide how you’d like to create your bill of rights. Type it into your phone, write it in your journal, or grab some markers and glitter and go wild.
Put the rights you starred at the top of your list so you can focus on them. Next, add anything else from the list below you’d like to remember.
Time to get creative. What other rights do you have in your relationships? What did we miss? Write down as many as you can think of.

Once you finish, keep your list in a safe place and look at it often. Try reading it out loud again. Start thinking of ways you can use these rights in your daily life. Once you know what your rights are in relationships, you’ll be able to make sure you are treated with respect and love.

Relationship bill of rights

I have the right to:

be me and to be good enough just as I am.
take care of myself first.
say no and do not have to explain myself.
feel safe.
love and be loved.
privacy and alone time.
grow and change.
trust my instincts.
choose a partner I can trust.
be treated with respect.
pursue my dreams.
ask questions.
form other healthy relationships.
express my opinion, even if someone doesn’t like it.
make mistakes.
not worry about what others think of me.
control my career and money.
control my own life and make my own decisions.
get angry and express my feelings.
not fix other adults’ problems.
ask for help.

Take Action

Make a difference

You can make a difference to your family, friends, and community by taking these simple actions:

1. Practice healthy relationship skills: Learn about the skills necessary to practice healthy communication with others. Talk to others about what healthy relationships mean to you and model respectful behavior in your relationships.

2. Be supportive: If you think someone close to you is experiencing abuse, ask them about it and offer your support. If you think someone you know is engaging in abusive behavior, talk to them and encourage them to seek help. Continue to check in and remain connected and supportive.

3. Stay in the conversation: Help shape the movement against domestic violence. Speak up to stop attitudes and behaviors that oppress others. Be a source of information about domestic violence.

4. Learn about and share resources: Everyone has a role to play in creating healthy, safe, and vibrant communities. Explore our website to find out how you can get involved and make a difference.