Mary Byron Fellowship
In FY 05, the Center joined with The Mary Byron Project (formerly Mary Byron Foundation) in Louisville, Kentucky, to establish its very first graduate fellowship. The selection of Mary as the Center’s very first named fellowship holds significant meaning to all of us at the Center, as this young woman lost her life to domestic violence, but her story has fueled innovation and saved the lives of countless other girls and women. Mary was a beloved daughter, sister and friend; she is also an inspiration and reason to continue this work on behalf of all women.
Mary’s Story: 1993 was a horrific year for Mary. She had been raped, assaulted, and stalked by her former boyfriend. He was arrested and jailed for these crimes, but someone posted his bail and he was released. At that time, there was no mechanism in place to alert Mary to his release and to the increased danger to which she was now exposed.
On December 6, 1993, Mary’s former boyfriend approached her as she sat in her car waiting for the engine to warm up. She had just left work after celebrating her 21st birthday with friends. He approached from the driver's side and fired seven bullets into her head and chest at point blank range, killing her. As she celebrated 21 years, he made 1993 her last. Out of the tragedy of Mary’s murder was borne an innovative, automated victim notification system. That system is, called the VINE System, is now used in thousands of communities across the nation.
In July 2008, the Mary Byron Graduate Fellowship was awarded to Danielle Duckett. Danielle currently serves as a graduate research assistant with the Center. She has worked on several of the Center’s research projects, including studies on the civil justice system, on battered women who kill, and on homicide and domestic violence.
Danielle completed her master’s degree in sociology in 2006 with a thesis entitled, “Ministerial Response to Domestic Violence” and is currently a sociology doctoral candidate. As a GED tutor for women in the jail system and a tutor for parenting teenagers, Danielle heard firsthand stories of the horrors of violence against women. Her compassion for women facing injustice and her drive to help end violence led Danielle to her work with the Center. After completion of her doctoral studies, Danielle plans to continue working in the area of violence against women. Mary’s story will live on through the successful story Danielle will now write over the years of her life.