Dr. Jessica Taylor, a psychologist and author, has detailed a harrowing year-long online harassment campaign orchestrated by a group of eight professional women. The coordinated attacks included false accusations of serious crimes, doxxing, and targeted harassment of her family, leading Taylor to experience suicidal thoughts.
The campaign began in 2022 after the announcement of Taylor's second book, "Sexy But Psycho," which examines how female trauma is medicalized. Initially, the attacks involved accusations that Taylor had stolen a life story for her book. These claims escalated to accusations of fraud, trafficking, and even child abuse against her wife.
Taylor's professional life was significantly impacted. Complaints filed against her with the British Psychological Society resulted in a six-month investigation that ultimately cleared her name but caused considerable stress. Speaking engagements were put at risk or canceled due to the accusations.
Personal details, including her home address, were published online in a tactic known as doxxing. False stories were spread about her abusing her wife and her children being taken into care. Taylor also recounted receiving a voice message filled with vicious threats.
A turning point came when a member of the group contacted Taylor via Facebook Messenger, revealing the extent of the coordinated effort. This whistleblower provided voice recordings and messages, confirming that the ring included a private tutor, a psychotherapist, charity workers, and individuals from organizations focused on violence against women, including a magistrate. The women, ranging in age from their late 30s to 60s, reportedly used a WhatsApp group and Zoom calls to plan their attacks.
Taylor described the profound psychological impact, stating she developed a fear of everyone and stopped trusting most of her friends. She confessed to feeling on the brink of suicide due to the relentless nature of the abuse.
Jessica Taylor's experience highlights a less understood pattern of online stalking where women engage in aggressive digital behavior. The catalyst for the campaign, the woman who initially accused Taylor of stealing her life story, was eventually made subject to a stalking protection order and a two-year court undertakings order.
Taylor's new book, "Click, Stalk, Destroy," explores the tactics and psychology of online stalkers. She has also been working with other victims, analyzing their stories for a report to Parliament, an experience she found validating and a step toward reclaiming her sense of normalcy. Taylor emphasizes the need for the law and public understanding to evolve with the realities of the digital age, stating, "There has to be life after stalking."