Proxy stalking refers to the act of using intermediaries or third parties to observe, monitor, or gather information about a person. Unlike direct stalking, where the perpetrator engages directly with the target, proxy stalking introduces a layer of separation, making it challenging for the victim to identify the source of surveillance.
In addition to the more direct forms of harassment ..., stalkers may involve other people or agencies in their attempts to communicate, contact or track their victim ... those stalking activities that are perpetrated by others on the stalker's behalf [have been termed] stalking by proxy. For the most part the involvement of others is unwitting. All manner of explanations may be offered by the stalker to encourage others to engage in these activities. Sometimes, friends and family members labour under the illusion that their loved one is in fact the victim of stalking at the hands of the true victim ... Some confederates are less concerned with the moral or legal implications, succumbing to bribes. In certain situations, such as delivery services, the transaction appears quite legitimate and may not arouse suspicion.
Victims may on occasion erroneously believe that others have been recruited by their stalker. They allege corrupt employees in telephone companies hired by the stalker to monitor calls or to interfere with traced calls, motor mechanics incited by the stalker to tamper with the victim's vehicle, or council workers recruited to watch the victim's home. These claims may have a delusional basis or reflect the overwrought reactions of a distressed victim driven beyond reason.
The proxy stalker typically employs friends, acquaintances, or even hired individuals to keep tabs on the target as a sort of third-party observer. These intermediaries might follow the victim’s online activities, report back to the stalker, or even gather information offline. On occasion, these parties may be perpetuating harassment without any active encouragement from the stalker. Sometimes, friends and families may be under the illusion that the person they are proxy stalking for is the victim and they are doing them a service.
References
Hart, M. (2024, January 24). Stalking by Proxy – Options Domestic & Sexual Violence services for Northwest Kansas. https://help4abuse.org/stalking-by-proxy/
Mullen, P. E., Pathé, M., & Purcell, R. (2000). Stalking by proxy. In Stalkers and their Victims (pp. 173–186). chapter, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.