It's not only puppy love: most young take romancing seriously

Nearly nine out of every 10 teenagers say they put their partners first in relationships, a survey released yesterday showed.

However, the study by youth charity group Breakthrough also found that one in 10 said they had been the subject of psychological and physical bullying.

Breakthrough said the survey shed new light on relationships and commitment among the younger generation. 'Contrary to the popular perception of puppy love, most young people are not flippant when it comes to relationships,' it said.

Most youngsters defined devotion as 'equating their partners' happiness with their own', 'accepting their partner's faults' and 'giving unconditional care', the group found.

It advised young people falling in love to keep a cool head.

'A quality relationship should include mutual respect, and acknowledging that your partner has every right to refuse your demands and needs,' said group spokeswoman Lily Shum Shuk-man. 'Putting your partner first is always admirable, but blind self-sacrifice often damages a relationship, as elements of control are prone to seep into an originally healthy love life.'

Bullying in a relationship ranged from being ridiculed by one's partner to being coerced to perform sexual acts, said manager of research and development, Chan King-chuen.