Applying Aristotle’s Ethics to Scam Victim Advocacy

Applying Aristotle’s Ethics to Scam Victim Advocacy

Scam victim advocates play a critical role in helping individuals navigate the trauma of financial fraud, deception, and betrayal. Their work is not just about providing resources or legal guidance—it is about offering ethical, compassionate, and morally sound support to those who have been harmed. Aristotle’s concept of eudaimonia, or human flourishing, provides a strong philosophical framework for how advocates should approach their work. Aristotle argued that true happiness comes from fulfilling one’s moral potential, which includes service to others. His virtue ethics suggest that justice, compassion, and courage are essential in both personal fulfillment and societal well-being. Scam victim advocates who embrace these virtues ensure they are not only effective in their role but also ethical in their approach, focusing entirely on the victim’s needs rather than their own emotions or desires.

Eudaimonia and the Purpose of Advocacy

Aristotle’s eudaimonia is not about fleeting happiness but about long-term fulfillment achieved through virtuous living. He believed that people could only truly flourish by acting with wisdom, justice, and moral integrity. For scam victim advocates, this means that their work should be more than just a service—it should be a moral commitment to helping others in an ethical and just manner.

Victims of scams often experience deep emotional distress, feelings of shame, and a sense of betrayal. They may struggle with trust, question their own judgment, and feel isolated from friends and family. A scam victim advocate guided by Aristotle’s philosophy would recognize that helping victims recover is not just about financial restitution but about restoring their dignity, confidence, and ability to trust others again. Advocates who focus on eudaimonia do not simply perform tasks or check off procedural boxes—they actively contribute to a victim’s long-term well-being, ensuring they are not just surviving, but regaining their ability to thrive.

Justice: Advocating for Fairness Without Bias

Justice is one of Aristotle’s cardinal virtues, and it is particularly important in scam victim advocacy. Aristotle believed that justice is about giving each person what they are due and ensuring fairness in all human interactions. Advocates must ensure that victims are treated fairly by legal systems, financial institutions, and law enforcement while also maintaining fairness in their own actions.

Justice in advocacy means:

• Ensuring that all victims, regardless of their background, receive the same level of care and attention.
• Providing accurate and unbiased information so that victims can make informed decisions.
• Encouraging victims to seek justice in ways that align with their best interests, rather than letting emotions dictate rash actions.

An advocate must resist the temptation to impose their own views on how a victim should feel or react. Instead, they should ensure that victims have access to the tools and resources necessary to make their own choices. Aristotle’s concept of justice reminds advocates that their role is to guide, not dictate, and to uphold fairness in every aspect of their service.

Compassion: Serving Without Ego or Judgment

Compassion is a key virtue in Aristotle’s ethics, and it is essential for scam victim advocates. Many victims struggle with shame and self-blame, believing they were foolish for falling for a scam. Advocates who embody Aristotle’s principles of virtue must approach victims with empathy and understanding rather than judgment.

Aristotle distinguished between pity, which is a passive feeling, and active compassion, which involves taking meaningful action to help others. True advocacy requires the latter.

Compassionate advocates:

• Listen actively without dismissing or minimizing the victim’s emotions.
• Avoid reinforcing self-blame, instead reassuring victims that scams are sophisticated crimes that can happen to anyone.
• Focus on long-term emotional recovery, not just immediate financial or legal solutions.

A scam victim advocate operating with Aristotle’s ethical framework recognizes that their role is to help victims regain confidence in themselves, not just assist with external recovery. They provide reassurance and guidance without making the process about their own emotional needs or personal validation.

Courage: Standing Firm in Ethical Advocacy

Courage is another critical Aristotelian virtue, and it is essential for scam victim advocates who often face resistance from financial institutions, law enforcement, and even victims themselves. Advocates must stand firm in their commitment to ethical support, even when it is difficult.

Courageous advocacy means:

• Challenging institutions or policies that make it harder for victims to seek justice.
• Remaining calm and professional even when victims lash out due to frustration or grief.
• Encouraging victims to take necessary but difficult steps, such as reporting scams or confronting financial losses.

Aristotle saw courage not as reckless boldness, but as the ability to act in the face of fear or hardship. An advocate who avoids difficult conversations or gives in to pressure from victims to take unwise actions is not acting courageously. True courage means advocating for what is right, even when it is not the easiest path.

Practical Wisdom: Making Ethical Choices in Advocacy

Aristotle emphasized the importance of phronesis, or practical wisdom—the ability to make ethical decisions based on experience and reason. Advocates must balance emotional support with logical decision-making, ensuring that they do not enable self-destructive behaviors in victims.

For example, some victims may be tempted to pursue revenge against the scammer or engage in risky financial decisions in an attempt to recover their losses.

An advocate guided by Aristotle’s ethics would:

• Provide a rational perspective while still validating the victim’s emotions.
• Help victims weigh the consequences of their actions rather than reacting impulsively.
• Offer ethical alternatives that align with the victim’s long-term well-being.

By applying phronesis, advocates ensure that they are not just reacting emotionally but guiding victims toward choices that support their overall recovery.

The Ethical Boundaries of Advocacy

While Aristotle encouraged service to others, he also emphasized moderation and balance. Advocates must be mindful of their own well-being, ensuring that they do not become so emotionally involved in their work that they burn out or cross ethical boundaries.

Ethical advocacy means:

• Setting professional boundaries to avoid over-identification with victims.
• Ensuring that personal emotions do not cloud judgment.
• Recognizing when a case requires external professional support, such as therapy or legal assistance.

An advocate who neglects these boundaries may risk becoming emotionally overwhelmed, which can lead to poor decision-making or ineffective support. Aristotle’s philosophy teaches that true virtue lies in balance—helping others while maintaining personal integrity and stability.

Conclusion: Applying Aristotle’s Ethics to Scam Victim Advocacy

Scam victim advocates have a profound moral responsibility to support victims in a way that is ethical, compassionate, and just. Aristotle’s philosophy of eudaimonia provides a valuable framework for ensuring that advocacy is not just about providing help, but about fostering real, long-term recovery. By embodying Aristotle’s virtues of justice, compassion, courage, and practical wisdom, advocates can serve victims in a way that aligns with true ethical service.

Advocacy is not about seeking personal validation, imposing personal opinions, or acting on impulse. It is about guiding victims through their trauma with fairness, empathy, and rationality, ensuring they have the tools to rebuild their lives. An advocate who follows Aristotle’s teachings does not just assist victims—they help them reclaim their dignity and ability to flourish, ensuring that their recovery is rooted in both emotional and ethical strength.