Whistleblowing

At Great Personal Risk, Whistleblowers Have Helped Shape History

If it weren’t for the whistleblower who spoke out about President Donald Trump’s dealings with the Ukranian government, House Democrats may never have started an impeachment inquiry against the president. 

Whistleblowers have a long history both in the United States and abroad. They have played central roles in bringing some of the most important and historic stories of all time into the public sphere. But they often face harsh criticism and grave retribution for speaking out against the corruption and misconduct of the powerful.

What is a Whistleblower?

“A whistleblower is someone who comes across wrongdoing or a probable threat to the public interest in the context of their work and they want to report that information,” Whistleblowing Program Coordinator at Transparency International Marie Terracol told The Globe Post. “It can be just within an organization, your company or a public institution.”

Terracol explained that ideally, the whistleblower would report wrongdoing internally and the company or institution they work for would address the problem. But that’s not always what happens and at times it’s necessary to go to the public in order to hold wrongdoers accountable.