I think that it's mutual, only because of what happens in one's own life. If someone who is helping on a project starts drawing heat from ignorant, mouthy louts (Not you, heric) out there who grab an angle iron and jump on any kind of controversy and bellow for apology or abandonment the helper and the helpee may well decide to see if they can shut them up. And then when the person does allow the helper to step down, those louts are the first to talk about having 'thrown them under the bus'.

Ya cain't win.