Have a heart this Valentine’s Day

February 1, 2008

Have a heart this Valentine’s Day

Family Planning says people should have a heart this February 14 and give their relationships a health check.

“There are some key ingredients for a healthy relationship and on Valentine’s Day, a day when New Zealanders are increasingly celebrating love and romance, it’s appropriate for people to check that their relationship is healthy – for themselves and for their partner,” Family Planning Chief Executive Jackie Edmond says.

Family Planning’s relationship health check:

1. Are you happy in your relationship?
2. Is your relationship fun?
3. Are you both wanting the same things from the relationship?
4. Is your sexual health being compromised by the relationship – has their been a discussion about monogamy, condom usage. Do you both have regular sexual health checks?
5. Are you comfortable with what is being asked of you sexually? Is there violence or coercion?
6. Do you have friendships outside the relationship or is there control around issues such as who you see and what you wear?
7. If your relationship is currently via a web-based dating site – have you made plans on how to develop the relationship safely such as meeting in a public place or telling friends or family what your plans are.

“Family Planning is one of the agencies people can go to with concerns or questions about their relationships. We have particular expertise, especially around issues of sexual health and sexual violence,” Ms Edmond says.

To help people reflect on this healthy relationship message, Family Planning is running a Valentine’s Day competition asking people to list their top three tips for a healthy relationship. People can enter at their local Family Planning clinic, through Family Planning events being held around the country on February 14 or via the website www.familyplanning.org.nz and be in with a chance to win some great prizes from Telecom and Living Nature. Thanks also to Whittakers to supporting the competition.

To enter the Valentine’s Day competition – go to www.familyplanning.org.nz The competition runs from February 1 to 14.

ENDS