Teen Sexual Health

Teen Workshop Modules

Nuts And Bolts - Overview | Understanding Relationships And What Keeps Them Afloat | How Do These Qualities Look? | Rights And Responsibilities In Relationships?

Relationship I: Rights And Responsibilities In Relationships?

Estimated Time: 20 minutes

Resources:

• Rights And Responsibilities In Relationships Activity

Procedure:

• Ask participants what they think "give and take" means in the context of building and sustaining healthy relationships. Why is give and take important? (If they seem to need more guidance, ask them to think back to the qualities that help keep relationSHIPs afloat, and how many people in the relationship need to be involved in keeping the boat afloat.)
• Ask participants what "rights" and "responsibilities" mean. Ask how these words relate to "give and take".
• Make a chart with two columns on the board. One column should be labeled "rights" and the other, "responsibilities."
• As a large group, brainstorm the rights people have in relationships. Encourage participants to think about rights related to self and others. Write their responses in the "rights" column.
• As a large group, brainstorm the responsibilities people have in relationships. Again, encourage participants to think of responsibilities they themselves hold, as well as those held by their partner. Write their responses in the "responsibilities" column.
  

  Rights	Responsibilities
  Have your opinions, needs, values, emotions, etc. respected by your partner. Not be pressured into sexual activity you do not want. Be told the truth. Other	Respect the opinions, needs, values, emotions, etc. of your partner. Not pressure your partner into sexual activities he or she does not want. Communicate openly with your partner, including telling the truth even if it's difficult Other

  
  
• Ask:
  • In general, is sex a "right" in a relationship? Is it something that automatically makes relationships healthy?
  • How can sex add to the healthiness of a relationship? When does it take away from it?
  • What are some of the responsibilities that go along with having a sexual relationship? (Encourage students to think of the emotional, physical, mental, and relational consequences and responsibilities.)
• Emphasize that sex is just one component of a romantic relationship. Whether it is healthy or not in a particular relationship depends on what else is in that relationship. Sex can act like a magnifying glass in a relationship. If the relationship has a lot of healthy qualities in it like trust, respect, affection, and open communication, adding sex can draw out these qualities. If, however, the relationship has a lot of unhealthy qualities like lack of communication, distrust, jealousy, and emotional distance, adding sex can make these qualities seem larger and more distressing.
• Emphasize that consent is something that is always needed to make sure sex in a relationship is healthy and legal. Consent means that people are saying that they want to participate in a sexual activity. They have to say "yes" both verbally and with their body. For example, if they say "yes" but pull away with their body, this is a "no." The safest way to know that your partner has given consent is to ask. Only yes means yes. Keep in mind that people are able to change their mind at any time and then the activity must stop.

Consent

Consent: Any sexual activity without consent is sexual assault and is illegal. In Canada, people under 12 are not able to legally consent to sex. People over 12 and under 14 are only allowed to consent to "peer sex": the other person must be under 16, not more than two years older than their partner, and not be in a position of authority or power. People over 14 are able to legally consent to sexual activities. It's always illegal for adults to have sex with people under 14 and people under 18 if they are in a position of authority over them.

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