A friend is a person who you have a good relationship with and with whom you share something in common. It does not necessarily have to be a relative. Friends are much closer than acquaintances.
When it comes to romantic relationships, the KHDS 2022 provides the following definitions: a husband is a man with whom a woman is married or is living with as if married. A wife is a woman with whom a man is married or is living with as if married. An intimate partner for women is a man with whom a never-married woman is in a relationship that involves physical and/or emotional intimacy and for which the relationship is or has the expectation of being long lasting.
As defined and for the purposes of this article, an intimate partner is not a husband or a man a woman is living with and is also not a boyfriend with whom her relationship is casual or a man with whom she has a one-time encounter. An intimate partner for men is a woman with whom a never-married man is in a relationship that involves physical and/or emotional intimacy and for which the relationship is or has the expectation of being long lasting.
An intimate partner for a man is not a wife or a woman a man is living with and is also not a girlfriend with whom his relationship is casual or a woman with whom he has a one-time encounter.
A boyfriend is a man with whom a woman has a casual relationship and who she did not mention as an intimate partner. A girlfriend is a woman with whom a man has a casual relationship and who was not described in the KDHS 2022 as an intimate partner.
Boyfriends and girlfriends are friends we have feelings for that transcend friendship. The relationship can involve going places together or spending time with someone in order to get to know them better. During the stage of knowing one another better, teenagers could opt for group activities that are more comfortable and safer than individual or private dates.
The challenges in a romantic relationship include communicating different ideas, lack of negotiation and decision making skills and differences in self-esteem for those involved.
There needs to be mutual respect for each partner, the swift resolution of conflicts, mutually agreed decision making based on values and goals, assertiveness, upholding the esteem of the other person, safe and free expression of feelings and good communication.