Michigan State Police Collect Purses for Sexual Assault Survivors This April

When a survivor flees abuse with no time to pack, even a toothbrush becomes a lifeline. Michigan State Police are accepting donated purses filled with comfort and hygiene items at posts across northern Michigan through April 30, with collected bags going directly to shelters serving the Grand Traverse region.

The nearest drop-off for most Grand Traverse County residents is the MSP Gaylord Post at 563 S. Otsego Ave. in Gaylord, open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donations are also accepted at the Cheboygan County Prosecutor's Office at 870 S. Main St. in Cheboygan and the Boyne City Boat Yard at 974 E. Division in Boyne City. Trooper Taylor Jukanovich at the Gaylord Post is the local contact at 989-732-2778.

Any new or gently used purse or tote bag works. Fill it with toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash), feminine hygiene products, hand sanitizer, socks, a blanket, body wipes, lotion, a hairbrush, a cell phone charger, a journal and pen, and comfort items for children. Candy and small personal care items such as manicure sets are also welcome.

Purses collected at the Gaylord Post benefit the Women's Resource Center of Northern Michigan in Petoskey. The Women's Resource Center for the Grand Traverse Area, based in Traverse City, also serves survivors across Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau counties and operates a 24/7 crisis line at 231-941-1210.

The urgency behind the program is practical, not symbolic. "The survivor is fleeing from their home essentially with just their clothes on their back, sometimes not even shoes," said Andrea Numikoski, Development Director at Marquette's Women's Center. Lt. Ben Eckola with MSP was equally direct: "They may not have been able to have the time to pack a bag."

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 81% of women and 43% of men have experienced sexual harassment or assault in their lifetime. The Gaylord Post filled 192 purses in one prior campaign year, according to Lt. Derrick Carroll. Statewide, the program collected more than 6,000 purses in 2022 after expanding from its 2019 origins in Cadillac to all MSP posts.

RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline is available around the clock at 800-656-HOPE (4673).