The phrase "unwilling participant" refers to someone who is not willing or eager to take part in something. They may be reluctant, resistant, or not interested in participating. Full definition
You're some kind of unwilling participant in an AI training program that also might be real for Horzine Security Forces. (digitalchumps.com)
This book addresses the issues that child and adolescent therapists struggle with the most — how to meaningfully engage and create conditions for transformative change with children and teens who are unwilling participants at the outset and who regard any allowed influence by the therapist to be a competitive defeat. (amazon.com)
I suppose the chief difference, and I think a significant one, is that the Wall, the Road and the Tombs were all done by unwilling participants and even dumb sheep will run away from a master who does them harm. (nakedpastor.com)