One hundred and eleven female undergraduate students who had experienced violence in the context of a dating relationship were surveyed regarding: (1) responses they had received from non-professionals, (2) psychological distress, and (3) help-seeking behavior. For their participation, women either received extra credit toward an introductory level psychology course or were entered in a lottery for one of three chances to win 50.00. Women responded to the following questionnaires: Participant Response Questionnaire, Social Provisions Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Conflict Tactics Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, State-Trait Personality Inventory, Social Issues Inventory, Resources Scale, and General Information Questions;Six research questions were explored. First, how do non-professionals respond to victims of courtship violence? Respondents reported that non-professionals were supportive and willing to become involved. Women denied receiving suggestions for decisive action (e.g. go to a shelter) or recommendations to work on the relationship. Second, how do these responses compare to those a victim hoped to receive? Participants preferred receiving responses indicating supportiveness and willingness to become involved, but not suggestions for decisive action or recommendations to work on the relationship. Third, is the type of support received related to a victim's emotional well-being? Support specific to the courtship violence was not related to psychological distress, however as general support increased psychological distress decreased. Fourth, is receiving the type of support hoped for related to a victim's emotional well-being? Differences between support actually received and support preferred failed to predict differences in emotional well-being. Fifth, are background and personality variables related to the incidence of courtship violence? Sex-role attitudes, anger expression, and a history of child abuse failed to predict variability in the incidence of courtship violence. Sixth, is the type of support received from non-professionals related to the professional resources a victim utilizes? Type of support received predicted a marginally significant amount of variation in the number of professional resources utilized.