Equality

    • Brief

    • Partners in a relationship are not two identical persons. They are not the same but have equal rights. This means that the limits and choices of each partner are respected.

    • Partners carry equal responsibility

    • A relationship is often unhappy when the limits of one of the partners are not respected. Equal partners can help each other to feel positive about themselves:

      • They do not use force against each other (they do not feel that they have more value than the other person)
      • They do not need the approval or opinion of the other about everything (they do not think they have less value than the other).

      Equal partners carry equal responsibility in a relationship. For example, they decide together whether they want to have children or not (family planning) and if or what kind of contraception they want to use.

      Sometimes inequality can lead to partner violence or sexually abusive behaviour.