Healthy Relationships

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How's It Going? - Checking in on your relationships and looking out for others.

We are introducing a new resource at Portsmouth Sexual Health Clinic to support healthy relationships and broader health. While stock is available, everyone who attends the clinic will receive a small fold-out leaflet with information to help you think about relationships and their impact on health and wellbeing. It also highlights where to find help and support for yourself or others. All of this information is available on this webpage.

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We all deserve to be respected, to be listened to and to feel safe.

 

If you are in a relationship, being with someone caring protects your health. It also helps your children.

Does your partner sometimes….

  • Shame?
  • Make you feel bad about yourself?
  • Control where you go?
  • Control how you spend money?
  • Hurt you?
  • Scare you with their words?
  • Do things that scare you?
  • Make you have sex?
  • Do things during sex, you didn't agree to?
  • Control whether you protect yourself from pregnancy or infections?
  • Stop you from seeing a Doctor?
  • Stop you taking your medicine?

These things can happen to anyone. It is not ok.

'If any of these things happen to you, help is available. Talk to someone you trust or contact the helplines on this page.

If you are in immediate danger, call 999

Having a partner who hurts you or is unkind to you affects your health.

 

It can make you more likely to struggle with:

  • Finding it hard to think clearly or to control your emotions
  • Trouble sleeping.
  • Your mental health, including anxiety & depression.
  • Asthma, diabetes, long term pain, high blood pressure, cancer.
  • Smoking, drug and alcohol problems.
  • Unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

You can tell your doctor or nurse how your partner treats you. It will help them to care for you.

 
If someone is hurting you, it is not your fault.

 

Stop Domestic Abuse

🖱️StopDomesticAbuse.uk 

📞0330 0533 630 - advice line for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton. Open to victims, perpetrators and friends or family of those affected by domestic abuse.

 

National Domestic Abuse Helpline

🖱️NationalDAHelpline.org.uk. Live chat Mon-Fri, 10am - 10pm.

📞 0808 2000 247 – freephone 24/7.

 

Everyone can find more information and resources at: safertogetherhants.co.uk/

If things feel difficult or overwhelming, then you don’t have to carry it alone. There is help available 24/7 from:

  • Samaritans - call 116 123
  • Shout - text HANTS to 85258
  • NHS - call 111 and select the mental health option or visit 111.nhs.uk

All services are free to contact.

If you are scared to use your own phone because someone might look at it, you can ask a person you trust or use a work phone.

Under Clare’s Law you can ask the police if your partner or your ex has a history of violence or abuse.

You do not need to give a reason when you ask.

If you are worried that a current or ex-partner of a close friend or family member might be a risk, you can ask about their history too.

If the police have information to share, they will contact the person at risk.
How do I make a request?
  • Online. Fill in a form on the Hampshire Police Website
  • By phone. Call 101 and tell the operator that you want to make a Clare’s Law request
  • In person. Go to a police station and ask to make a Clare’s Law - or Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme - request

Some parents or carers hurt their children.

Maybe your parent or carer:

  • called you names
  • did not feed you enough
  • did not make you feel safe
  • did not care for you
  • injured you
  • did sexual things to you
Where you lived and what you saw as a child can affect you too.                                                          

Maybe your parent or carer:   

  • had a partner who hurt them
  • argued a lot
  • had mental health problems
  • had an addiction

Maybe you:

  • got bullied
  • faced prejudice
  • lived in unsafe places

If some of these things happened to you.... it is not the end of the story.

Recovering from bad things in your past:
  • You are not alone
  • It was not your fault
  • Find healthy ways to cope
  • Access support available

Finding people who are safe can help you heal. Maybe you have a good friend to talk to. Maybe you don’t yet.

Talking to the people from the services on this page can help.

 

Simple steps for healing

Your body holds on to stress.

There are ways to calm your brain and body.

This can help you feel better:

  • Exercise
  • Deep breathing helps.
  • Some apps and videos can help you learn how to do this                                                                     .

 

Visit  www.nhs.uk/better-health

Connecting with people outside a difficult relationship is important when things feel hard.

You can help other people by telling them they’re not alone.

“Hey, someone gave me this card. It could give you some ideas about where to start..."

Stop Domestic Abuse can support friends and family through their helpline.

Are you worried about how you behave?

Do you use unhealthy behaviours in your relationships?                                                                              

Hampton Trust can help you.                                                                                                                        

You can ask them for support by calling 023 8000 1061.

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Consent

Sexual Assault - Consent and the law