ABSTRACT
Over the past decade or more, I have been involved with a number of second victims who were being investigated. That, in any case, was what it felt like for them. They were being investigated for their role in an adverse event, an incident. For many it was one of the most humiliating and anxious experiences of their careers. Without exception, being investigated made them feel disempowered, judged, and in jeopardy. They typically were not part of the process. They were the object of the process. It created a helplessness, a despair even. They were the ones who had been closest to the event when things unfolded and went wrong. Yet they were not consulted on the details and were kept at a distance when the official narrative of the event started to take shape. The sense of a lack of control and unfairness haunted them throughout and even after the investigation. Rather than being party to the investigation, they felt judged by it. Their assessments and actions were put on full display-at least superficial versions of them-and deemed inappropriate or inadequate in light of the outcome that everyone now knew about. And they felt in jeopardy. Being investigated could and can lead to real consequences: downgrades in command, loss of license to practice, loss of a job, loss of reputation. Even while the investigation was going on and nothing had been finalized yet, a sense of dread came from the very stigma of being investigated. Colleagues avoided serious engagement with second victims, casting oblique glances when passing them in the hallway.
