Four days after seven of ten fulltime employees of Ampersand Sexual Violence Resource Center of the Bluegrass were suddenly fired, its executive director and board of directors still weren’t speaking publicly. Stephanie Theakston works for the City of Lexington’s Department of Social Services and is the program coordinator for the Lexington Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition. She said she learned about the firings from the former employees.
“Fayette County is a close-knit group of people and through the coalition, we have great communication with each other. So it was surprising to us that there was not a more thorough communication plan, or any communication.”
Ampersand’s executive director, Latisha Jackson, declined an interview request Monday. She released a statement saying Ampersand will collaborate with Mountain Comprehensive Care Centers’ Healing Program to cover calls and coordinate services. Theakston said she spent much of the weekend on the phone with people who care about sexual assault survivors in Lexington.
“We have not received clarity on what that means in terms of hospital advocacy, ongoing therapy services. We think that the crisis line is covered.”
Monday afternoon, the sexual assault crisis line was staffed.
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