How To Be A Whistleblower

While no one likes to be the Karen of the group, there are times when you have to expose someone for their wrongdoings. You have had enough of their BS, and it is time to act. When you blow the whistle on someone, you benefit mankind directly. Maybe you want to expose a sexual offender who is currently in a high position in a company, or you want to expose a doctor who takes unfair advantage of the patient’s desperation. You must be courageous to act in the face of uncertainty. One might even doubt oneself, wondering if anyone would believe their claims. That is why one must be smart before acting on mere suspicion. Continue reading this article to learn valuable tips on whistleblowing.

Gather Evidence: You want to expose someone; great! But you have to be strategic about it. You cannot act out of suspicion alone. What you suspect can be flat-out wrong. Until and unless you have tangible proof that can be presented as evidence, you should act on your suspicion. Act like a journalist on a mission, or better yet, a spy. But, if you get caught snooping around, the criminals may get alert and be more careful of their misconduct. Therefore, you have to be extra cautious while gathering evidence.

• Take time while gathering tangible data. If possible, take photos, record videos, and gather photocopies of the misconduct.
• Don’t let the criminal or anyone else know that you have suspicion against someone. Words get around faster than you can imagine. Unless you have complete faith in someone who can use it, there’s no point in letting one know of your plan.

The Right Time: Every action has its right timing. Therefore, be patient until the time comes. Act as if everything is fine at your workplace until they are not. For example, if you know of some illegal activities that will take place tomorrow, alert the police in advance. But show up to the workplace as if nothing has happened and let the law handle the situation. If you let pass tomorrow by, you will have no evidence to show at all. Therefore, timing is everything.

Don’t Be Ignorant: You think someone is doing something wrong. But pause and take a step back: Are they doing anything illegal? How do you know what they are doing is wrong? What does the law say about such behavior? It would help if you answered all these questions before blaming someone. For example, if a doctor is paid to promote a particular drug to the patients, he breaks the anti kickback law. He cannot prescribe medication to his patients simply because he will receive a bonus or other facilities from that drug company. In addition, a doctor cannot promote specific healthcare clinics to the patients because he gets a commission or a bonus for bringing a certain number of patients to the clinics. If you do not know the law, you would not know that the doctor is breaking the law. Therefore, one must always learn more about the law before calling someone.

Lastly, you should never act based on your prejudice. For example, you think one is doing something wrong because they belong to a certain race, gender, or ethnic group apart from yours. If this is the case, stop and rethink your idea to blow the whistle.