I do agree with you, keep your mouth shut and eyes closed. The whistleblowing that I did on July 2013 brought me in so much distress I was at one time thinking of suicide murder and thoughts of going postal due to the constant retaliation and singled out frequently. I had so many evidence to support me but even then, it had no bearing. My employer said they were doing the right thing and its not retaliation what they did to me and the focus switched from the "wrong doers" toward me the "trouble maker-not-a-team-player employee". I was even accused of being a terrorist because I mentioned the word "bomb", all taken out of context just to justify their bad behavior and treatment against me. It was like "yeah, we did what we did for somebody who is a bomber and a threat to the people, and it was the right thing to do".
Lord have mercy on their soul and I hope Satan is not going to strangulate them on their sleep!
Protection for whistleblowers? Thats not true and lawyer's wont waste their time to defend you or take your case unless you are whistleblowing for something that involves lots of money. Retaliation is bad and it ruins your life, livelihood, psyche and family. Its not worth it. For people reading this, planning to blew the whistle, dont do it, you are commiting a suicide (you dont die quick but the long term effects kill you). After blowing the whistle and they starts retaliating at you, it feels like you are slowly burried into the ground as the perpetrator dump sand at you, you can hear them gossip at you, humiliate and laugh at you. And they become successful because the things they do to you are like paralytics, you even feel and see what they are doing but you become helpless you cant even move or fight.
I say it again, do not do it! Just quit in good terms bevause its hard to find a job specially if you worked only with them for many years and you next potential wants to contact your supervisor...and ask "is she/he hireable or not?"... If their answer is "i dont want to make any comments"...or worst case wont even answer the phone (yes it happened to me). Now what are you going to do?