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Healthy Relationships

Healthy relationships

Uni is often the place where people develop long-lasting relationships. It can be hard when you’re excited about your new relationship, to think through whether it’s healthy or not but it’s really important that it should be based on:

  • Trust
  • Mutual respect
  • Empathy/kindness
  • Accepting you for who you are
  • Allowing you to make choices about what you’re happy to do

Support if you’re in an unhealthy or abusive relationship

Relationships shouldn’t make you change your behaviour (including how you dress, or who you see), make you feel ashamed or fearful, or make you do something you’re not comfortable with. If you’re in a relationship which makes you feel this way, please consider seeking support from our wellbeing teams, or one of the organisations listed on these pages.

Remember while often this occurs within relationships with a partner, abuse can happen within families or even from a friend. It’s important to remember that you’re not alone and there is support for you. Unfortunately, abuse happens to people of all different backgrounds, circumstances and sexual orientation. You can also reach out if you’ve suffered abuse in the past.

What is consent?

Consent means that you have given permission, or that someone has given you permission to engage in any intimate activity. Any sexual contact without consent is illegal.

Take the Consent Training module to help you understand the importance of consent and the issues around it, so that you can enjoy healthy and respectful relationships, and support others too.

Take the Consent Training > 

Sexual misconduct

We understand that coming forward to report sexual misconduct can be hard. We will take any reports of sexual misconduct seriously and make sure individuals are treated with dignity and respect and receive support.

You can find out more, including how to report, and what to do if someone shares with you that they have experienced sexual misconduct on our sexual misconduct pages.

See the sexual misconduct pages >

Domestic abuse

Domestic violence or abuse can happen to anyone. It can include physical abuse, emotional abuse, financial abuse, sexual abuse, and coercive control. Often it is a combination of several of these factors. It can be within a couple relationship, from an ex partner, a family relationship, or from a friend or work colleague.

You can find out more about abuse and some examples from the UK Home Office's Enough campaign.

See the Enough campaign >

Getting the support you need

The first step in getting out of an abusive situation is understanding that it’s not your fault and you are not alone. Please reach out if you think you may be experiencing abuse. Don’t wait for an emergency before seeking help.

NHS: You can find out how to recognise the signs of an abusive relationship, and where to get help, on the NHS website: Getting help for domestic violence and abuse.

Anyone who has been sexually assaulted can get confidential help, treatment and support at an NHS sexual assault referral centre (SARC)

First Light: A charity based in Devon and Cornwall which is dedicated to helping anyone who is experiencing sexual violence or domestic abuse, or has done in the past. You can find out more about about how to get in touch on their website: www.firstlight.org.uk.

Our wellbeing services:

Government advice: Domestic abuse, how to get help

Getting help if you are a man

Abuse can happen to anyone, but statistically men are less likely to ask for help. If that’s you, please come forward. It’s not your fault, you have nothing to be ashamed of and no-one will judge you. Other men have also been in this situation and you don’t have to accept it. Please contact one of the organisations listed above, they will support anyone who needs it.

You can also contact the Respect Men's Advice Line:

And get support from our wellbeing team for men's mental health.