NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — After a pro-life pregnancy resource center endured vandalism in Nashville, the nonprofit's CEO said the organization will not be deterred.
Hope Clinic For Women on Hayes Street was vandalized earlier this week with spray paint and a broken window that had a Molotov cocktail-like device thrown through it. "Jane's Revenge" was scribbled on the side of the brick wall.
"We had a broken window and vandalism. And because we got here so early, we had plenty of time to try to get the window replaced because we had a full day of clients," said Kailey Cornett, CEO.
"We did have a delayed start. We opened around noon, and we're still able to serve clients in the afternoon. We're hoping that we don't have any delay in our care through whatever this season may bring us in our state because women in Nashville still like to get great care. Regardless of what's happening outside in DC at the Capitol, we want to continue to provide services that women need."
Hope Clinic for Women was founded by a group of doctors, community leaders and churches to meet the needs of women in unplanned pregnancies.
The website said its mission originally, as a pro-life group, was to present alternatives to women wanting an abortion.
Cornett said today they are much more than that.
"We have existed since 1983, so nearly 39 years old. And we exist to serve women in our city, mainly who are facing an unplanned pregnancy, but we also provide preventative women's health care," said Cornett. "Our women's health care includes annual exams that can include a pap smear, a breast exam. It's a full 45-minute appointment with the nurse practitioner. We also do STD testing and treatment, and we do contraceptive referrals. We can prescribe oral contraceptives in the house as well."
Cornett encourages people to visit their websiteto understand what Hope Clinic is about.
"We want to continue pushing towards hope, which is what we tell our clients. You're in a crisis right now seeing things are hard, you're facing difficulty. Let's see how we can get you past that."
The FBI is joining MNPD Specialized Investigations Division detectives and Hazardous Devices Unit officers in the investigation of the attempted arson.
The police department is working with the facility on ways to bolster security.
