Drawing parallels between whistleblowers in the workplace and the fate of Gabriel Fernandez

Having recently become aware of the gruesome murders of young children such as Gabriel Fernandez and Anthony Avalos who succumbed their lives at the hands of their parents, US authorities said these innocent children were “let down by the system”. The phenomenon of a parent deliberately killing their own child is known as “filicide” and research suggests that children who are murdered by their parents were physically abused prior to their death.    These tragic events are not unique across the world, and since these particular cases have been aired publicly, in the US alone -- according to the FBI’s statistics -- circa 450 children suffer this fate each year! Clearly, there is something very wrong with ‘the system’!

As a quick governance comparison, the following factors are common between workplace whistleblowers and filicide victims (collectively ‘the parties’);

1. both parties are meant to be protected by ‘the system’ (but ‘the system’ failed)

• in the case of the whistleblower, ‘the system’ would include, amongst other; whistleblowing legislation, the processes installed by the organisation to report any workplace misconduct, various policies and procedures, including a governance framework
• in the case of the filicide victim, ‘the system’ would include, amongst other; the government’s role to protect all its citizens, legislation that protects human life and their dignity, the rights of the child, the role of the parent, the role of direct and extended family and friends, including the role of the schooling governance system and other social structures

2. lines of defense to protect (but these lines of defense are weak, or missing)

• in the case of the whistleblower, ‘the system’ would include various lines of defense (mechanisms) to ensure any and all forms of reporting workplace misconduct are in place and robustly tested.  Such lines of defense would include, amongst other; effective and efficient management, proper governance systems and controls, various forms of audit (internal & external), proactive forensic testing, subject matter expert involvement, including proper oversight by the board and executive management in order to mitigate all forms of risk that threaten the existance and sustainability of the organisation and its stakeholders
•  in the case of the filicide victim, ‘the system’ would include various lines of defense (mechanisms) that would allow any outside party to report any signs of child abuse by the parents to the necessary authorities, such as the child welfare, a duly appointed representative of a school or similar social body, a peace officer, the police, a local church or the local MP

3. failed action and no responsibility taken to protect (disinterest or apathy of by-standers in ‘the system’)

• in the case of the whistleblower, ‘the system’ includes many disinterested or apathetic by-standers who turn a ‘blind-eye’ to workplace misconduct for a variety of reasons. In some cases, the by-standers are themselves complicit in the misconduct. The end result is that the whistleblower tends to be shunned, and most often ostracized by their peers and associates.  The end results are usually devastating for the whistleblower, personally, emotionally and financially and typically the whistleblower lives to regret their whistleblowing act
• in the case of the filicide victim, ‘the system’ includes a combination of by-standers; some who will actively report the crime perpetrated upon the victim, others who suspect wrong-doing and remain silent, and the balance remain blissfully ‘ignorant’ or disinterested and through their inaction, condone the heinous crime against the child

Whilst the above narrative is brief, not surprisingly, ‘the system’ of governance -- which is meant to serve and protect its respective stakeholders -- has fundamental flaws and when ‘the system’ fails, its victims are let down in the most cruelest manner. 

As a society, none of us can afford to be disinterested in poor governance and look the other way; we all have a responsibility -- as a part of our humanity which espouses kindness, mercy and sympathy -- to act. 

Surely, if we claim to be an ethical society, with good moral values, we must insist that all leaders in the workplace, on the sport grounds, in churches and at home, uphold these values and that the rule of law and social values are applied consistently to ensure proper and good governance prevails across all aspects of our society.

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. - Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955) Physicist & Nobel Laureate

Good governance must be seen to be, and enacted through a set of acceptable disciplines and practices that drives accountability (individually and collectively), and this behaviour must be visible such that any variances that detract from this norm, are dealt with in a manner which befits the transgression. 

Failing to practice these good governance practices and procedures within and acceptable governance framework leads to dysfunction, decay and even the collapse of a normative society.