Abuse is a pattern of behaviour that one person uses to try to control and dominate another person.
However, girls and women can also be abusive in relationships. Inequalities in our society and different expectations about how men and women should behave can explain why it is most commonly boys or men who are abusive in relationships. In our society, men have traditionally been expected to be in control, tough or 'macho', dominant and aggressive. Some guys think that they have to dominate girls and 'keep them in line' so they can see themselves as a 'real man'. Men who are abusive often have these sorts of attitudes towards girlfriends and women in general.