At the centre of human dignity is the conviction that human beings are created in the Image of God. It is this Image of God that gives incredible, divinely granted worth. This worth is deserving of respect, and the sexual relationship honours this worth by treating each person with care. A respecting relationship is never pressuring, demeaning, harassing, or belittling of a partner. (1, 2)

Likewise, we have a relationship with our own self, and it is important that we also honour the Image of God within ourselves by treating ourselves with kindess, compassion, and behaving in self-loving ways. (3)

This principle is about recognising the self and the other as a whole human being with a whole body, mind, and soul. When we engage in a sexual relationship, we engage both as a whole human being and relating to and with the other whole human being. (1)

We do not reduce ourselves or the other to just a part, for example just a body part. While during sexual activity there may be focus in the moment on a specific body part or physical act, it is within the context of relating to the other (and/or self) as a whole human being.

When seeing a whole human, this invites the sharing of the sexual experience, the sharing of sexual pleasure, rather than using another person or even your own body as merely an object. (3) Seeing the whole human welcomes relationship over transaction.

Each individual has the full power and responsibility for how they choose to exercise and express their sexuality. An individual’s sexuality is their responsibility, not the responsibility of a partner to manage for them. (1, 4-6)

As an individual with this right and responsibility, it is important to exercise this wisely, while also respecting your partner’s same right and responsibility. While sexuality is a personal responsibility, the shared experience of the sexual relationship is the responsibility of both partners to support and nurture, with the full freedom of a genuine no and yes. (1, 4-6)

This is a commitment to the protective boundary of not exploiting power within a relationship. Exploitation undermines full and active consent within a relationship by abusing power to secure sexual advantages. An example of this is using the Bible against a partner, to pressure them into engaging in sex. (4-7)

In committed relationship, infidelity is another example of exploitation through cover-up, denial, and manipulation of trust. Non-exploitation also includes the commitment to not engage in sexual behaviour that objectifies, demeans, or dehumanises another for individual gratification, selfish reasons or otherwise. (4-7)