Jana's Campaign

Programs

Partnering with other advocates, victims, the criminal justice system and lawmakers, Jana’s Campaign seeks to reduce and respond to domestic violence by pursuing a dual strategy. First, through public awareness related activities, the campaign encourages thousands of ordinary citizens to get actively involved in this serious issue. Secondly, Jana’s Campaign advocates focus on the key issues of prevention and education, intervention programs, and public policy advocacy.

Public Awareness and Community Action

Curt & Christie BrungardtJana’s Campaign believes in the power of speaking-out about the issues of domestic violence. Too often this form of violence is a “crime of silence” in our society. We are committed to bringing awareness to the seriousness of relationship violence and encouraging a larger conversation. Jana’s Campaign further believes that community volunteers can and should be mobilized in various ways to reduce domestic violence. Through our 1100 Torches project, Jana's Day of Service, and other related activities, we encourage ordinary citizens to play a role in this important issue. Currently, our actions include:

  • Providing public presentations throughout the United States bringing awareness to the seriousness of domestic and dating violence.

  • Assisting regional and community domestic violence shelters to raise needed financial resources for their programs.

  • Joining and participating in several national and international campaigns to bring awareness to the issues of violence against women. (Red Flag Campaign, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, Say NO UNiTE End Violence Against Women)

  • Utilizing various media outlets, social media networks and our own “Jana’s Story” video to reach a greater audience with the story of domestic and dating violence.

  • Recruiting volunteers to work in the field of reducing all forms of violence against women.

Education and Intervention Programming

Jana’s Campaign believes that major educational efforts at all levels are needed to end the cycle of violence against women. We participate and support several education activities in the fields of both prevention and intervention. Jana’s Campaign further believes that effective offender intervention programs can help reduce the cycle and escalation of domestic violence. We are actively involved in encouraging the development of certified domestic violence batterers intervention programs around the state of Kansas. Our work includes assessment research, program recruitment, program participation, statewide coordination and direct service participation. Currently, our actions include:

  • Working closely with the Kansas Attorney General's staff to ensure that Kansas has certified domestic violence batterer intervention programs throughout the state.

  • Working directly through Batterers Intervention Programs, our advocates share the story of Jana and challenge these men to improve their lives.

  • Conduct research on the Kansas court system on the use of batterers intervention programs and other intervention strategies.

  • Encouraging school districts and scouting groups to include a dating violence curriculum in their programs.

  • Hosting workshops and forums to educate the general public about important violence against women topics.

  • Encouraging the training and education of Kansas justice system personnel on the new domestic violence tag law.

  • Co-sponsor and host DV Summit/Workshops to help train advocates, law enforcement, and court personnel on issues of domestic and dating violence.

Public Policy Advocacy

Curt & Christie BrungardtJana’s Campaign believes that traditional government and other non-profit agencies should improve and expand their efforts to reduce domestic violence. Government actions and the work of related non-government organizations have a profound effect on how women experience freedom from domestic violence. We are active on several fronts to ensure that these agencies and organizations hear and understand the needs of domestic violence victims. Currently, our actions include:

  • Encouraging greater cooperation and collaboration among governmental agencies and NGOs that work to reduce domestic and dating violence.

  • Encouraging other government agencies and allied organizations who are not typically involved in this work, to actively participate in reducing violence against women.

  • Improving government’s response to sexual assault in rural areas.

  • Promoting the development of effective rules and regulations that will successfully implement the new Kansas domestic violence tag law.

  • Encouraging the Kansas criminal justice system to implement the new Kansas domestic violence tag legislation as intended.

  • Encouraging other states around the country to support legislation that designates criminal files that track domestic violence offenders.

Campus Action Initiative

Red Flag CampaignJana’s Campaign believes that colleges and universities should be mobilized to reduce domestic violence. This includes (A) encouraging higher education to improve their response to domestic and dating violence on campus. Secondly, (B) encourage higher education to play a more active role in using their resources and assets to reduce domestic violence in the communities and states in which they reside. We are actively involved in creating and supporting campus efforts to reduce domestic and dating violence. Currently, our actions include:

  • Working with and supporting FHSU's Women's Leadership Project to empower women and girls.

  • Providing presentations at colleges and universities across the country about issues of dating violence.

  • Encouraging institutions of higher learning to implement civic engagement and service learning activities that help reduce relationship violence.

  • Identifying and sharing best practices of reducing campus violence.

  • Working to improve college and universities’ response to sexual violence on their campus.

Men Stopping Violence Against Women

College Men Participating in “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” Awareness ProgramJana’s Campaign believes that men and boys should be actively engaged in confronting male violence against women and girls. We believe “real men” take a stand and speak out against inequality, sexism, and violence against women. While only a small minority of men harm women, we recognize the importance that all men and boys should participate and be proactive in preventing such violence. Jana’s Campaign is developing program activities that engage men and boys and creates opportunities for the silent majority to speak out and to take action. Currently, our actions include:

  • Promoting the development of “bystander intervention” activities that encourage men and boys to step in and stop the violence.

  • Creating a national network to improve cooperation and collaboration among men’s programs with a shared mission.

  • Working to create a comprehensive inventory of men’s programs around the country with the desire to identify best practices.

  • Providing opportunities and assistance to men’s and boy’s groups to speak out and to become actively engaged.

  • Encouraging activities that improve the development of fatherhood and mentoring roles.

Our Actions

Men against violence program inventory
Jana’s Campaign
interns are developing a comprehensive inventory of programs around the United States that encourage men to be engaged in activities that prevent violence against women. This project is currently underway.

Self-Defense Seminars
Jana’s Campaign
and the Women’s Leadership Project have co-sponsored several self-defense seminars for women in central and western Kansas.

DV Summit
In October 2011, Jana’s Campaign co-sponsored a Northwest Kansas educational summit for advocates, law enforcement officials, and court personnel. Partnering with the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, KCSDV, and Options, 60 participants received information about the latest legislation and best practices in the field.

Speak at college campuses
Christie BrungardtCurt and Christie Brungardt speak to college students at universities around the country about the signs of domestic and dating violence. They also encourage college students to be actively engaged in reducing this form of violence.

Batterers Intervention Program presentations
Curt Brungardt, stepfather of the late Jana Mackey, has been meeting and working directly with dozens of convicted domestic violence abusers. Through group therapy sessions in batterers intervention programs in Kansas and Missouri. Brungardt shares his family story of July 3, 2008 and the loss of Jana, and he challenges these men to live better lives and to always treat their partners with dignity and respect.

DV Awareness Month presentations October of each year is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Jana’s Campaign is active with numerous program activities. These include supporting and co-sponsoring the Red Flag Campaign on college campuses, as well as making public presentations throughout the country.

Women’s Leadership Project
Women's Leadership ProjectJana Mackey’s legacy and Jana’s Campaign were the motivation behind Christie and Curt Brungardt establishing the Women’s Leadership Project (WLP) at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. The purpose of WLP is to educate, inspire, and empower women and girls to be the leaders of tomorrow. Link

Kansas Domestic Violence Designation Law
Governor Mark ParkinsonJana’s Campaign
helped spearhead this new legislation in Kansas. Governor Mark Parkinson signed this bill into law on April 20, 2010. This bill is recognized as the most comprehensive domestic violence legislation ever passed in Kansas. This law will assist the criminal justice system in documenting crimes associated with domestic violence and track repeated offenders. Press Release 1 | Press Release 2 | News 1 | News 2 | News 3 | News 4 | News 5 | News 6

Improve and expand Kansas DV batterers intervention programs Jana’s Campaign has been actively involved in encouraging the development of DV batterers intervention programs around the state of Kansas. Under the direction of the Kansas Attorney General, Christie and Curt Brungardt chair the Kansas Batterers Intervention Program Advisory Board. Our work has also included conducting survey research on how the Kansas court system addresses DV offenders. link

DV public awareness presentations throughout the United States
Jana’s Campaign
advocates have been very active in providing presentations about the issues surrounding domestic violence and violence against women. News 1 | News 2 | Photos

Participate in national and international awareness campaigns Say NoJana’s Campaign has joined several national and worldwide violence against women campaigns and recruited other advocates and volunteers to do the same. Most notable include the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, UNiTE to End Violence Against Women, and the UN’s Say NO UNiTE. Our work has also included translating these materials into Chinese for Rutgers University.

Improve sexual assault response in rural areas
Jana’s Campaign
and students from Fort Hays State University were instrumental in getting Hays Medical Center to reverse its decade-long practice of not providing certified nurses to care for sexual assault victims. See Press Release | News 1 | News 2

Clothing drive for DV shelters
Jana’s Campaign
advocates and supporters conducted a year-long clothing drive for several domestic violence shelters in the state of Kansas.

Recruit volunteers to work against domestic violence
Through awareness activities and our 1100 Torches project, Jana’s Campaign has recruited hundreds of volunteers to join our efforts in reducing domestic violence. These volunteers serve at DV shelters, their governing boards, provide public awareness activities, and have been involved in fundraising efforts to address this important issue. Volunteers come from 19 states and 4 foreign countries.

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