| Dawn-Marie Wesley | |
|---|---|
| Born | Dawn-Marie Wesley 1986 |
| Died | November 10, 2000 |
| Cause of death | Suicide by hanging |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White and Native American |
| Occupation | Student |
Dawn-Marie Wesley, from Mission, British Columbia, Canada, was a student who committed suicide, after experiencing a cycle of bullying by psychological abuse and verbal threats from three female bullies at her high school.[1]
She left behind a note to her family that referred to the bullying to which she had been subjected to: "If I tried to get help, it will get worse. They are always looking for a new person to beat up and these are the toughest girls. If I ratted, they would get kicked out and there would be no stopping them. I love you all so much." She committed suicide by hanging herself with her dog's leash in her bedroom.[1]
Contents |
At the age of 14, Dawn-Marie Wesley committed suicide after experiencing a cycle of psychological abuse and verbal threats ("bullying") from three classmates. In her suicide note, Dawn-Marie named three girls, initiating a Canadian police investigation by RCMP. Mission's Royal Canadian Mounted Police found crime had been committed, and some police were accused of a possible cover up, as one of the bullies accused was the daughter of a police officer in the town. The bully was charged and had to face 2 years probation. The incident garnered international media attention, which led to the groundbreaking investigation by Canada's Crown, and a precedent setting court case where for the first time in North American courts, teenage defendants were made to stand trial for bullying.
Dawn Marie Wesley's case worked to initiate the term "bullycide" globally when referencing teen suicides due to bullying.
The historic, landmark and precedent setting court case was presided over by Provincial Court Judge Jill Rounthwaite. Canada's Crown had launched the investigation after Mission's Royal Canadian Mounted Police Department found "no crime had been committed". It was noted that one of the girl bullies named in the suicide note was the daughter of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police Officer in Mission. Two girls were convicted of uttering threats with the intent to instill fear, and criminal harassment.[2] Their identities are protected because they were prosecuted under Canada's Young Offenders Act.[2] B.C. Provincial Court Judge Jill Rounthwaite's ruling stated that it was clear that one of the accused had bullied Wesley repeatedly thus giving the victim reason to fear for her life. Rounthwaite also stated that bystanders added "to the power of the bully" by letting the harassment continue without intervention.