9 Ways You Could Be Inviting Cybercrime

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

We teach our children to use the buddy system. We remind them to look both ways before crossing the street. We instruct them not to accept gifts from strangers. But one of the most dangerous threats of all lies in the place many of us consider to be the safest: our own home.

Despite all of the precautions we take to protect our families and safeguard our residences, none of us are immune to the risks of the internet. Our computers, smartphones, and tablets allow us to access boundless information and communicate with people all over the world; unfortunately, these virtual connections also expose our vulnerabilities and leave us open to online predators.

In honor of National Internet Safety Month this June, here are a few common ways that you may be inviting cybercriminals into your home, and what you can do to safeguard yourself and your family from identity theft, fraud, harassment, cyberstalking, and more.

Mending the Sacred Hoop: Native American Victims’ Services

Native Americans are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault than any other race, and one in three American Indian women reports having been raped during her lifetime.¹ Although they suffer some of the highest abuse rates of any group in the United States, Native Americans remain significantly underrepresented in the victim services community. Cultural and linguistic obstacles, as well as a lack of physical access to services, keep many from reporting crimes, while a deep-seated mistrust of the justice system and unclear legal jurisdiction² prevent others from coming forward.

In an effort to reshape this status quo, passionate advocates like Mary Thompson, Domestic Violence Advocate and Cultural Coordinator at the Sacramento Native American Health Center (SNAHC), are working hard to reach out to underserved Native American communities in Northern California. The Sacramento Native American Health Center is a comprehensive clinic that provides wraparound services to improve the health and well-being of Native American Indians. As the only Native American clinic in the greater Sacramento region with a cultural component, the SNAHC works with women, men, and families to promote a holistic approach to victim healing and recovery.