Although little has research has been done on the origins of intimate violence, some studies have indicated that the origins of dating violence may be established before college. The primary aim of this study was to compare the relative strength of two key antecedents, having friends in violent dating relationships and having parents who are violent toward one another, and determine which condition, if either, was more strongly linked to perpetration and victimization in one’s own dating relationship. Data for this study were obtained from 526 adolescents in rural North Carolina who were part of a large-scale experiment to prevent adolescent dating aggression. The sample included 280 girls and 246 boys ranging in age from 12 to 17 years who had been on a date; 83 percent were White, 13 percent were Black, 1 percent was Hispanic, and 3 percent were other. Data were collected via self-administered questionnaires completed on two separate occasions over a 6-month period. Four hypotheses were tested. Results of the analyses found that adolescents were more likely to perpetrate dating violence to the extent that their friends experienced dating violence, and although friend dating violence and interparental violence each exhibited cross-sectional associations with own violence perpetration, only friend dating violence predicted onset of perpetration. In addition, adolescents were more likely to be victims of dating violence to the extent that their friends were in violent relationships. Friend dating violence and interparental violence each exhibited cross-sectional associations with own victimization, however, only friend dating violence predicted onset of victimization, and this effect occurred for girls only. These results suggest that having friends who are perpetrators or victims of dating violence is associated with an adolescent’s own experiences as both a perpetrator and a victim of dating violence. In addition, exposure to interparental violence is associated with an adolescent’s experiences as both a perpetrator and a victim of dating violence. Study limitations and strengths are discussed. 3 figures, 1 table, and 40 references