'Building Community Awareness at Grassroots level'
“J9 is a powerful logo because J9 was also a person, and her name was Janine.”
What is the J9 Initiative?
The J9 Domestic Abuse Initiative is named in memory of Janine Mundy, who was killed by her estranged husband in 2003. The initiative was started by her family and the local police in Cambourne, Cornwall, where she lived and aims to raise awareness of domestic abuse and assist victims to seek the help they so desperately need at the earliest opportunity. We fundamentally believe, that by educating and empowering communities, families, friends, colleagues – all those connections that may surround someone experiencing domestic abuse, we stand a better chance of reaching them at the earliest opportunity.
In 2024, Alpha Vesta took over delivery of the J9 Initiative across Essex, introducing a new recognisable purple heart logo and a CPD-accredited one-hour awareness session. The session focuses on increasing understanding of domestic abuse and empowering people to recognise the signs, reach out safely, and refer individuals to appropriate help and support.
Engaging Communities
Through this initiative, we work to create ‘safe people’ but also to create ‘safe spaces’ with public and customer-facing businesses, organisations, groups, and services. We believe these settings are uniquely placed to recognise the signs, reach out and refer someone who may be experiencing domestic abuse to appropriate help and support.
The J9 Initiative is not about asking businesses or individuals to resolve complex situations or replace specialist services. The initiative is about fostering informed, compassionate environments where someone feels acknowledged, understood, and encouraged to access professional support.
How can you get involved?
Public Awareness
Our one-hour public awareness sessions are available to book every month at no cost.
Anyone can complete the session and receive the supporting resources which includes the option to request a CPD Accredited Certificate and/or use our J9 Email Banner valid for one year.
Private sessions available depending on the size/structure of organisation.
Safe Space Accreditation
Those with a premises can consider becoming an Accredited J9 Safe Space in the community they serve.
To achieve J9 Safe Space Accreditation, at least ⅔ of your staff/team must complete the awareness session and we will visit your premises to assess suitability and deliver your J9 Safe Space Toolkit valid for two years.
J9 Plus
J9 Plus is an enhanced session that designed to offer a comprehensive 1.5hr domestic abuse awareness session, supported by tailored resources to assist professionals in specialist settings including:
- GPs and Healthcare
- Educational settings
- Job Centres
- Local Authorities
- Public Sector Providers
WHAT DOES THE LOGO MEAN? A guide to promoting & having conversations about the J9 Initiative
Our goal is for the J9 purple heart to become a widely recognised and trusted symbol within our community.
Individuals: Once you have completed Alpha Vesta’s J9 Domestic Abuse Awareness Session, you may display your J9 Certificate or use the J9 email banner to confirm your completion. This accreditation is valid for one year.
Organisations: Those who become an accredited J9 Safe Space can display the materials provided within the J9 Toolkit at their premises, wear J9 pin badges, and promote their J9 Safe Space accreditation. This accreditation is valid for two years and will then need to be reviewed.
To support you in promoting and communicating about the initiative, it’s important to recognise that language matters. Many people who have experienced, or are experiencing, domestic abuse may not identify with that term.
Building trust within the communities you serve therefore requires careful consideration of the words and phrases you use, alongside how you communicate your organisation’s commitment to supporting those who may need help.
We recommend considering both direct and indirect communication styles, depending on your
audience.
Direct Communications: This approach can be used for the delivery of clear messages without ambiguity, in order to highlight exactly what you want to achieve in promoting the initiative. For example;
The J9 Initiative is designed to raise awareness and enhance understanding of domestic abuse.
It aims to build confidence and equip people with the skills to recognise early signs, respond appropriately, and refer to specialist support services at the earliest opportunity.
J9 is more than just a logo. It is named in memory of Janine, who tragically lost her life following a prolonged period of domestic abuse. Her family’s aim is to prevent similar tragedies from happening to others.
Indirect Communications: This softer approach, uses subtle language to build trusted relationships
with those you may engage with or the community you serve. It does not mention the term ‘domestic abuse’. For example;
The J9 Initiative encourages kind, non-judgemental conversations that help people feel seen, heard, and supported. It supports individuals and communities to better recognise when a relationship or family situation doesn’t feel right, or when someone may be struggling with the behaviour of a loved one or someone they were once close to.
Wherever you see the J9 logo, it means that individual or organisation has completed training and can offer a supportive listening ear, along with knowledge of services they can signpost to if needed.
Accredited J9 Safe Spaces may also provide helpful resources and access to a phone for private or urgent calls, where appropriate.
Become a J9 Safe Space
Help create safer communities by empowering your team to recognise, respond, and refer.
Complete the CPD-accredited J9 awareness session and take the next step towards J9 Safe Space Accreditation.