Mary Byron Chair and Center in Intimate Partner Violence by Equifax

The Mary Byron Endowed Chair in Intimate Partner Violence

The Mary Byron Endowed Chair will spearhead Brandeis School of Law's commitment to combat intimate partner violence (IPV) though education.

The chair holder will:

• Teach the law and policy of intimate partner violence in addition to other courses
• Lead a comprehensive review of the law school curriculum to integrate IPV education throughout
• Foster transdisciplinary collaboration across the University of Louisville to embed IPV education in multiple fields

Hiring timeline: The University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law anticipates hiring its first Mary Byron Endowed Chair during the Fall 2026 faculty hiring cycle, with the chair beginning in Fall 2027.

The Mary Byron Chair, along with an advisory committee, will establish the Mary Byron Center in Intimate Partner Violence by Equifax at the UofL Brandeis School of Law, a bold, first-of-its-kind initiative dedicated to preventing IPV through education, collaboration, action and beginning an institutional transformation through it's approach to IPV education.

Grounded in Mary Byron’s legacy and Louisville’s leadership in victim notification and advocacy, the center integrates IPV education into legal training and extends that work across disciplines, preparing future professionals to recognize, prevent and disrupt cycles of violence.

The Mary Byron Center by Equifax

The Mary Byron Center by Equifax will be the first university-based program to integrate IPV education into core academic curricula while providing experiential learning opportunities that serve individuals and communities impacted by violence.

Building on the Robert and Sue Ellen Ackerson Law Clinic, the center will grow into an interdisciplinary hub offering:

• Collaborative partnerships across campus, including:
  • College of Business
  • College of Education and Human Development
  • Department of Classical and Modern Languages
  • Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science
  • School of Dentistry
  • School of Medicine and the Department of Psychiatry
  • UofL Health—UofL Hospital
• Experiential learning for students across all disciplines working with IPV survivors
• A national conference bringing together legal professionals, scholars and advocates from across the globe

The professionals who encounter victims first are usually not the police. They are nurses, doctors, dentists, teachers, social workers, veterinarians and lawyers. Without training they may unintentionally cause institutional betrayal – dismissing or misinterpreting the signs of abuse. The Center will teach prevention of institutional betrayal.

Intimate partner violence costs the US over $3.6 trillion in lifetime economic impact, most of it in healthcare and lost productivity. The tragedy is that many victims interact with trained professionals – doctors, teachers, lawyers – long before the violence becomes lethal. Educating these professionals is one of the most powerful prevention strategies available.

The center’s long-term vision is to permanently embed evidence-based systems to combat IPV into education here at UofL and to share its model nationally, helping other universities integrate IPV education into their core curricula. The center will teach that professionals must always keep the victim's safety at the forefront of all curricula.

Why this work matters

Intimate partner violence is a pervasive public health crisis with devastating personal and societal costs:

• In Kentucky, 45% of women and 33% of men have experienced physical or sexual violence or stalking from an intimate partner
• Only 25% of IPV crimes are reported
• The lifetime economic cost of IPV in the US is estimated at $3.6 trillion (CDC)
• 59% of those costs are medical expenses ($2.1 trillion)
• 39% are lost productivity (missed work, reduced employment) Victims frequently experience missed work days, job loss, reduced earnings and workplace harassment by abusive partners
• Governments ultimately pay about 37% of the total cost through healthcare, justice-starting and social systems
• In homes affected by IPV, half of children are also victims, often experiencing long-term behavioral, emotional and educational impacts
• IPV-related homicides account for approximately 15% of murders nationwide.

IPV is preventable. Education is the most powerful tool we have to create systemic change.

Mary’s legacy

Mary Byron was a young Louisvillian whose life was tragically taken on her 21st birthday by an ex-boyfriend who had been unknowingly released from jail after kidnapping and raping her.

In response, Louisville leaders, advocates and innovators created what would become VINE, the Victim Information and Notification Everyday. VINE by Equifax now operates in 45 states and covers more than 2,900 incarceration facilities, providing real-time safety information to victims and communities.

Mary’s parents, Pat and John, approached professionals and advisors and together they founded the Mary Byron Project, which for more than 20 years led national efforts in appellate advocacy, policy reform, education and training to end intimate partner violence. As the project sunsets, its mission and momentum continue through the Mary Byron Chair and Center by Equifax at Brandeis School of Law.

Support the Mary Byron Center by Equifax

The Mary Byron Center by Equifax and Endowed Chair represent a transformational investment in education, prevention and community safety.

Your support helps:

• Sustain the endowed chair
• Establish the Mary Byron Center by Equifax
• Expand interdisciplinary education and experiential learning

• Train future leaders to prevent and respond to intimate partner violence

   

Donate Now – give.louisville.edu/MaryByronFund