Whistle-blowers form a breed apart
As corporate scandals have come into the spotlight recently, so too have the whistleblowers who reveal these unethical actions. Although whistleblowers may be viewed as heroes in the public eye, they often pay a heavy price for speaking out. Shunned by their former workplaces, whistle-blowers are subject to loneliness and retaliation.
See "Whistle-blowers form a breed apart", Jayne O'Donnell, USA Today, July 28, 2004