Our Accomplishments

Below is a list of successes that Jana’s Campaign and its advocates have accomplished over the last year. In all these cases, Jana’s Campaign was part of a larger coalition of other organizations and individuals who have worked hard to make these successes a reality.

• Domestic violence designation law in Kansas. Jana’s Campaign helped spearhead this new legislation in Kansas. Governor Mark Parkinson signed this bill into law on April 20, 2010. Originally recommended by the Governor’s Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board, 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. The legislation also requires the courts to order assessment of the offender and recommend intervention treatment programs.
  
  The Brungardts would also like to thank all those who played a major role in making this day possible. That includes the original architects of the bill, former Attorney General Bob Stephan and Juliene Maska of the Governor’s Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board, Attorney General Steve Six and his staff, the leadership of both the Kansas House and Senate, the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, the Kansas Department of Corrections, the law enforcement community, the Kansas Chapter of the National Organization for Women, and all Jana’s Campaign advocates and supporters. Press Release 1 | Press Release 2 | News 1 | News 2 | News 3 | News 4 | News 5 | News 6
  
  
• Improved and expanded Kansas Domestic Violence Batterers Intervention Programs. Jana’s Campaign has been actively involved in encouraging the development of domestic violence batterers intervention programs around the state of Kansas. Under the direction of Kansas Attorney General, Steve Six, advocates Curt and Christie Brungardt chair the Kansas Batterers Intervention Program Advisory Committee. To date, certified standards have been established and intervention programs are expanding throughout the state. See this link for more information. This initiative is ongoing.
  
  
• Public awareness about domestic violence throughout Kansas.  Jana’s Campaign advocates have been very active in the fall of 2009 and the spring of 2010 talking about the issues surrounding domestic violence in Kansas. In addition to talking to various media sources, advocates have done dozens of presentations in the Kansas communities of Lawrence, Wichita, Topeka, Lindsborg, Hays, Salina, and Great Bend. Many of these presentations were in conjunction with fundraising efforts for local domestic violence shelters. This initiative is still ongoing. News | Photos
  
  
• Joined and participated in several national and international awarness campaigns. Jana’s Campaign has joined the worldwide campaign "Say NO-Unite to End Violence Against Women" and has recruited other advocates to participate as well. This campaign asks those around the world to record their activities and call on governments and NGOs to join the effort. The goal is to reach one million "actions" by November 2010. We also participated in the "16 DAYS of activism against gender violence" this past November and December. Say No Unite | Unite To End Violence Against Women | 16 DAYS of activism
  
  
• Hospital decides to provide sexual assault exams. Jana’s Campaign is happy to announce that the Hays Medical Center of Hays, Kansas (Jana’s childhood hometown) has reversed its decade-long practice of not providing certified nurses to care for sexual assault victims.Jana’s Campaign worked with leadership studies students at Fort Hays State University, the local Soroptimist Club, Kansas NOW, and the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence to make this happen. After a community-wide forum on the issue, officials from the Hays Medical Center announced that they had "decided to change course and hope to have specialized trained nurses in place by the spring of 2010." Over the last decade, rape victims from the Hays, Kansas area who were willing to press charges had to be transported 90 miles one way to Salina to be examined by a certified nurse. Clearly this just prolongs the trauma faced by victims. See Press Release | News 1 | News 2
  
  
• Kansas Clothes Drive for Women to help domestic violence shelters.  Jana’s Campaign advocates were instrumental in establishing and conducting the Kansas Clothes Drive for Women in the spring of 2009.  In conjunction with the Kansas Women’s Leadership Conference, new and used clothing and accessories were donated and then distributed to several women’s organizations across Kansas.  Donated items came from communities throughout Kansas, and even other states like Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri, and Texas.  These clothes were sent to Dress for Success of Wichita, The GaDuGi Safe Center of Lawrence, and the Family Crisis Services of Garden City.  See Press Release
  
  
• Recruitment of volunteers to work against domestic violence. Through our parent organization, 1100 Torches, we have been successful in recruiting hundreds of volunteers to join the fight against domestic violence. While 1100 Torches encourages volunteerism in all its forms, the largest category of this service selected by participants directly relates to the issues of domestic violence. These "torches for Jana" have been involved in serving domestic violence and sexual assault shelters, their governing boards, public awareness campaigns, and related fundraising efforts, to only mention a few. This service can be found in 19 different states and 4 foreign counties. See www.1100torches.org for a complete listing. This initiative is still ongoing.