Michigan Minds Podcast: Resources and Support: DPSS Officers on Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April 21, 2022
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Maureen Burke and Margie Pillsbury, police officers at the U-M Division of Public Safety and Security (DPSS), joined this episode of Michigan Minds. Burke currently serves as the Outreach and Engagement Coordinator for the Special Victims Unit (SVU), and Pillsbury serves as the unit’s Investigations Coordinator. Burke and Pillsbury provide insight on the various services and resources offered by DPSS’ Special Victims Unit, including providing survivors with information about reporting processes and options. They describe the unit’s goal, which is to empower survivors to make informed decisions and remove barriers for them when reporting to increase the number of reports on campus. The SVU also provides information and safety planning, even if the survivor doesn’t want to file a police report, where officers connect people with advocacy to ensure their questions are answered.