LEXINGTON,Ky — Resources for survivors of sexual assault are now more accessible in rural areas of central Kentucky.

Thanks to a partnership between LifePoint Central Kentucky Hospitals, Ampersand Sexual Violence Resource Center and the Still Waters Center, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners can be called out to four rural hospitals. 

Bluegrass Community Hospital in Versailles, Bourbon Community Hospital in Paris, Clark Regional Medical Center in Winchester and Georgetown Community Hospital in Georgetown all will have SANE nurses available. 

These nurses are specifically trained to complete forensic sexual assault exams. Having SANE nurses at these smaller hospitals allows exams to be performed faster.

Before this program, The only place to have the exam done in the entire Bluegrass region was in Lexington. 

“Travel time when you are looking at 30 minutes to an hour after what Jen said can be the worse expired of your life it's not ideal and it just adds to the trauma of the event,” said Haven Andrews, founder of the Still Waters Center. 

This is just one half of what the two centers are hoping to offer in Central Kentucky. In April, they debuted a mobile exam lab which can bring nurses directly to victims. The modified RV is nearly ready to be deployed and is expected to hit the road in a few weeks. 

“Getting a SANE to them in their hometown is one of the things that I think can make a big difference,” Jenifer Johnson, acting interim co-executive director of Ampersand Sexual Violence Resource Center, said.

Often times a victim's clothes must be entered into evidence, leaving them with little to no clothing. It’s why Wild Goose Boutique owner Brittany Goins started making what she calls dignity bags.

Brittany Goins assembles each dignity bag in her home workshop. (Spectrum News 1/Mason Brighton)

“It contains just everything someone would need so a bralette, a t-shirt, a jogger set,” Goins said.

In total each duffel bag costs around $80. The initial 12 bags were funded thanks to donations. One bag has already been given to a survivor.

“I do not have personal experience with sexual assault but I do have close family members and friends who have been victims of assault, and so it meant a lot to me to do something to make a difference,” Goins said.

Through her online store, Goins is selling t-shirts to raise money that will go toward funding future bags. 

Johnson says they’ve been able to help survivors with similar supplies as well. 

“As long as one of our advocates is present, we will be able to provide them with access to clothing that is new and clean that they can take with them,” Johnson said. “Whether their clothing is retained for evidence purposes or whether they just don’t want to be wearing that anymore which is also a really reasonable thing”

Through the work of these women, they are ensuring survivors get the care and respect they deserve. 

Ampersand and the Still Waters Center cover a 17-county area of central Kentucky and are based in Lexington. Ampersand can be reached 24/7 at their support line: (859) 253-2511.