Rats and Bullies: The Dawn-Marie Wesley Story | A Documentary Feature Film by Roberta McMillan and Ray Buffer

Rats & Bullies: The Dawn-Marie Wesley Story

On November 10, 2000, 14 year old Dawn-Marie Wesley hung herself in her bedroom, with the family dog's leash after being bullied and harassed by her "closest" circle of friends. The note left behind by Dawn-Marie named her tormentors who had driven her to suicide. The incident outraged an entire nation and led to precedent setting criminal court cases against three juvenile girls in Canada.

U.S. Writer, Producer, Actress Roberta McMillan examines the events leading up to the tragedy, and the emotional aftermath. The documentary explores the unique characteristics of female bullying and ways of preventing its sometimes dire consequences. Journey with Roberta to the Fraser Valley where no one thought such a tragedy would ever occur in their town.

You will meet Dawn-Marie's mother, Cindy Wesley, whose determination to see justice done inspired her country. In the months that followed her daughter's death, Cindy helped to form an organization that continues to seek an end to bullying among youths, called Parents Against Violence Everywhere (PAVE).

Learn the perspectives of the News Media that reported on the criminal case, the hardship of Dawn-Marie's best friend, the remorse of one of the accused, and the irreparable harm done to the lives of the survivors, including Dawn-Marie's brother, DJ - who was the first to discover his sister's final act.

Hear from EMPOWER Program founder and New York Times best selling author of "QUEEN BEES AND WANABEES" (from which the film "MEAN GIRLS" was based) Rosalind Wiseman about issues regarding adolescent female bullies and bullycide.

"RATS & BULLIES" contains first hand accounts from those involved, including the Provincial Court Judge who presented the groundbreaking sentencing to the juvenile offenders. Hear eyewitnesses recount the extraordinary method of sentencing elected by the victim's family. As the victim and one of the accused was Aboriginal, the victim's family requested that a First Nations Sentencing Circle take place - the first one of its kind in a quarter of a century.

During this event tribal elders, family members of both the victim and the accused, the Judge, the Prosecutor, the Defendant's attorney and the Defendant sat and passed an eagle feather twice around the circle, allowing each person the right to speak and be heard.

This provided an opportunity for the victim's family and the accused to speak directly to one another; a venue unavailable in conventional court and one that may ultimately offer healing and a path to redemption.

This exploration of actions and their consequences includes interviews with:

Cindy Wesley - Dawn-Marie Wesley's mother

D.J. Wesley - Dawn-Marie's brother

Randy Hawes - Member of the Legislative Assembly

Judge Jill Rounthwaite who presided over one of the trials

Kyla Mae Dunn - one of the bullies who was prosecuted

Paula Settee- Dawn-Marie's best friend

Kevin Gillies - a Fraser Valley news reporter

Lee Hanlon - a paralegal who assisted the victim's family

Karen McQuade - a co-founder of P.A.V.E.

Rosalind Wiseman - co-founder of the EMPOWER Program

Dawn-Marie's story has been featured on TV in episodes of "The John Walsh Show", "The Vicki Gabereau Show" and "The Oprah Winfrey Show".

"RATS & BULLIES" is the only authorized, multiple award-winning documentary that provides all the details of the Dawn-Marie Wesley story and digs deep to find the root causes behind a secret form of terrorism that exists in every school.