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A high-flying exec at a multimillion-dollar firm raped his assistant and choked her — telling her she was “sweeter when half-conscious” — in a revolting “Mad Men’’-like office environment, according to a lawsuit. Michael Gowl Jr., a married dad of five and the then-executive chairman of PAX Services Group, a roofing company, displayed rampant “deviant, predatory and reprehensible conduct” during his reign of terror, alleged a new legal filing that reads like a corporate psycho-sexual horror story. “I only wanted to have a job,” Gowl’s ex-assistant, a New York City resident and African immigrant now in her late 20s, told The Post. But “I’d rather be homeless than take that s–t anymore.” The woman, who filed her suit anonymously in Manhattan federal court this month, alleged in the document that her boss drugged and sexually assaulted her three times during supposed “business” outings. US News Metro Long Island Politics World News Skip to main content Metro exclusive details High-flying exec raped me in ‘Mad Men’ office horror show: lawsuit By Peter Senzamici Published Dec. 21, 2025, 3:25 p.m. ET 71 Today's Video Headlines 00:20 / 00:52 See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google A high-flying exec at a multimillion-dollar firm raped his assistant and choked her — telling her she was “sweeter when half-conscious” — in a revolting “Mad Men’’-like office environment, according to a lawsuit. Michael Gowl Jr., a married dad of five and the then-executive chairman of PAX Services Group, a roofing company, displayed rampant “deviant, predatory and reprehensible conduct” during his reign of terror, alleged a new legal filing that reads like a corporate psycho-sexual horror story. “I only wanted to have a job,” Gowl’s ex-assistant, a New York City resident and African immigrant now in her late 20s, told The Post. Portrait of Mike Gowl, principal of PAX Services Group, wearing a grey jacket over a white collared shirt. 6 Michael Gowl Jr., the former executive chairman of PAX Services Group, is accused of “deviant, predatory and reprehensible conduct” in a legal filing that reads like a corporate psycho-sexual horror story. roofingcontractor But “I’d rather be homeless than take that s–t anymore.” The woman — who filed her suit anonymously in Manhattan federal court this month — alleged in the document that her boss drugged and sexually assaulted her three times during supposed “business” outings. Explore More ‘Teen Mom’ star Farrah Abraham explodes after civil case against Wine Country mayor who allegedly raped her NYPD officers work the scene of a violent sex attack in Staten Island, New York, on Sept. 10, 2026. A 37-year-old woman was reportedly raped and struck with a firearm inside a building in the vicinity of Jefferson Street and Dongan Hills Avenue on Sept. 9, 2026. Masked strangerrapes woman making delivery, hits her with gun in NYC attack: sources Eric Swalwell’s lawyer demands investigation into federal air marshal surveillance She said their professional relationship first took a dark turn just weeks after she was hired in late 2023, when Gowl texted her uncomfortable personal questions about growing up Muslim barely a month after his wife gave birth to their fifth child, according to her suit. He quizzed her from the hospital’s newborn intensive-care unit, claimed the court document — which Gowl slammed to The Post as full of “outright lies’’ geared toward a “financial windfall.’’ The woman — who PAX and its new owner, New State, deny was ever even technically employed by the firm — said in her suit that in January 2024, Gowl lured her to the Manhattan hotspot Nobu, seemingly for a “business meeting.’’ The woman, who is highly educated and speaks four languages, said that after she sipped a drink she had left briefly unattended, she felt “euphoric, dizzy, and disoriented,” according to court documents. Gowl then got her into his nearby hotel room, stripped to his boxers and tried to “force a kiss” while showing her explicit videos, the filing said. “You’ll be mad at me tomorrow,” Gowl whispered as he placed his head between her legs, the lawsuit alleged.

My boss raped me': Japanese prosecutor's long fight for justice Asia / Pacific Hikari kept quiet for years about her alleged assault by her boss, Osaka's former chief prosecutor. Finally, after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and taking time off work, she filed her case in June 2024. Very few women in Japan speak out about rape, and Hikari, too, kept quiet for years about her alleged assault by her boss, Osaka's former chief prosecutor. However, Hikari (not her real name) finally dared to take the step, which came at great cost to her career – she is also a prosecutor – and her personal life. She does not regret it. "My life has stopped since the assault," Hikari told AFP in an emotional interview. "My husband was crying the other day, in a voice that I have never heard in my life, punching the wall and saying he cannot take it anymore," she said. Hikari alleges that Kentaro Kitagawa, then head of the Osaka District Public Prosecutor's Office, raped her following an after-work party in 2018. Kitagawa was not arrested until June 2024, later charged and his name made public. He told an initial hearing in October that he had "no intention of fighting the case" and apologised for "causing serious and severe harm to the victim". However, he changed his tune in December when his lawyer told reporters that Kitagawa "did not recognise that (Hikari) was unable to resist ... and believed that she had consented". Kitagawa, according to one media report, changed his mind after Hikari held a news conference and alleged that the prosecution had leaked information from the investigation. 'A nightmare' Hikari says she was not used to drinking strong alcohol and lost her memory halfway through the office gathering. Colleagues told prosecutors that she got into a taxi to go home and that Kitagawa forced himself into the vehicle. The next thing she knew, she said, she was in Kitagawa's home and was being raped. "It was like I was having a terrible nightmare," Hikari told AFP. "I couldn't resist because I was terrified that I could be killed."

Marion man allegedly raped his employee at work, deputies say Story by Alianna Kendall-Brooks • 5mo MARION, S.C. (WBTV) - A 53-year-old Marion man was accused of raping an employee at work, deputies said. The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office said Maximiliano Guardian-Queriapa was arrested after a woman who worked for him reported she was sexually assaulted on the job. On March 18, a Marion woman told authorities Guardian-Queriapa, her boss at the time, sexually assaulted her earlier that day, deputies said. She was taken to Mission Hospital for a medical evaluation. Investigators said they found evidence of the alleged assault and arrested Guardian-Queriapa on March 30. He was charged with second-degree forcible rape and initially denied bond. His next court date is April 20, 2026.

UN News Global perspective Human stories More than 1 in 5 worldwide suffering from violence at work: ILO More than one in five people employed – almost 23 per cent - have experienced violence and harassment in the workplace, whether physical, psychological or sexual, according to the first ever joint analysis of data worldwide carried out by the UN International Labour Organization (ILO), the independent global charity Lloyd’s Register Foundation (LRF) and analytics and polling company, Gallup. Lack of disclosure Violence and harassment at work is difficult to measure. The report found that only half of victims worldwide had disclosed their experiences to another person, and often only after they had suffered repeated incidents. The most common reasons given for non-disclosure were that it was seen as a “waste of time”, leaving people who have been abused, fearing for their reputation. Women were more likely to share their experiences than men (60.7 per cent compared to 50.1 per cent). Globally, 17.9 per cent of employed men and women said they had experienced psychological violence and harassment at some point in their working life, and 8.5 per cent had faced physical violence and harassment. More men than women report having experienced this. Of those responding, 6.3 per cent reported facing sexual violence and harassment, “with women being particularly exposed”, said the UN labour agency. Most at risk Young people, migrant workers, and salaried women and men have been the most exposed to violence, according to the data. Young women were twice as likely as young men to have faced sexual violence and harassment, while migrant women were almost twice as likely as non-migrants to report sexual violence and harassment. More than three out of five victims said they had experienced violence and harassment multiple times, and for the majority, the most recent incident took place within the past five years. “It’s painful to learn that people face violence and harassment not just once but multiple times in their working lives,” said Manuela Tomei, ILO Assistant Director-General for Governance, Rights and Dialogue. Tough task ahead “Psychological violence and harassment is the most prevalent across countries, and women are particularly exposed to sexual violence and harassment. The report tells us about the enormity of task ahead to end violence and harassment in the world of work. I hope it will expedite action on the ground and towards the ratification and implementation of ILO Convention 190.” ILO’s Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (or 190) and Recommendation (No. 206) are the first international labour standards to provide a common framework to prevent, remedy and eliminate violence and harassment in the world of work, including gender-based violence and harassment. The Convention includes the specific recognition, for the first time in international law, of the right of everyone to a world of work, free from violence and harassment, and outlines obligations of signatories towards this end.

Workplace harassment and violence impacts over 70% of employees in Canada, study shows All types of workplaces across Canada were examined from October 2020 to April 2021 Isha Bhargava · CBC News · Posted: Mar 30, 2022 12:53 PM EDT | Last Updated: March 30, 2022 A study looking at harassment and violence in Canadian workplaces has found that 71.4 per cent of workers have experienced at least one form of harassment and abuse in their workplace last year. Researchers from Western University, the University of Toronto and the Canadian Labour Congress examined all types of workplaces across Canada through surveys and interviews. These include corporations, service sectors, hospitality, private sectors, and blue-collar jobs. Forms of harassment included verbal, sexual, and online abuse, along with intimidating practices to sabotage work performance. Over 4,800 participants were surveyed from October 2020 to April 2021, and 34 people were interviewed. The majority of respondents were between 30 and 59 years old. Those more likely to experience toxic work environments and sexual harassment are women, Indigenous peoples, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and people of colour, according to the study. The majority of harassment experienced included sexual conversations (61 per cent), personal space or touching (60 per cent), sexual teasing or jokes (56 per cent), and unwanted looks or gestures (42 per cent). Those more likely to experience toxic work environments and sexual harassment are women, Indigenous peoples, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and people of colour, according to the study. The majority of harassment experienced included sexual conversations (61 per cent), personal space or touching (60 per cent), sexual teasing or jokes (56 per cent), and unwanted looks or gestures (42 per cent). Health unit spent $135K investigating workplace harassment in last 4 years One of the study's researchers, Adriana Berlingieri, said the consequences of toxic workplaces can be extremely severe and destroy not only careers, but also the lives of workers. "We tend to often only think about work, but their [workers'] relationships, children, health and so many parts of their lives are negatively affected by this," she said. MacQuarrie believes that workplace structures often give permission for harassment to occur. Managers don't necessarily need to be harassers but them turning a blind eye or playing favourites can open up opportunities. MacQuarrie said the pandemic has been detrimental for many workers and has increased the severity, frequency, and duration of online harassment. "For some workers, in-person workplaces mitigated the way they were harassed. When they're isolated and there's nobody to see what's happening, it opens up more space for harassment. "Virtual harassment plays an important role in this dynamic," she said. "A few years back, it wasn't even on our radars, but now it's become so predominant, it can't be overlooked." Berlingieri found that virtual workplaces were a relief for some other workers since they didn't have to physically go into their work environments, which is important to consider with conversations around returning to workspaces. "As more workplaces are deciding to either go remote or hybrid, this is something that we need to take really seriously," she said.

4 St. Joe’s health-care workers will be assaulted at work today, hospital says as reports of violence spike Survey of 4,700 nurses said 95 per cent of respondents said they experienced some form of workplace violence Christina Bowman starts every morning by checking her phone for emails about acts of violence or abuse targeting hospital workers. “It’s probably the number one thing, I would say, that keeps me up at night,” said Bowman, a senior business manager at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton who, for over 20 years, worked as a nurse across many clinical units in the hospital system. According to statistics released last month by St. Joseph's, four health-care workers are assaulted on the job every day within its hospital system. The incidents can range from physical and verbal assaults to racial and sexual abuse. The report comes on the heels of a survey of 4,700 nurses that was released in April by the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. Ninety-five per cent of respondents said they experienced some form of workplace violence or harassment in the past year. According to St. Joseph’s, reports of violence against their health-care workers increased by nearly 30 per cent in the last year. Bowman said she’s experienced abuse as a front-line health-care worker and now as a manager with St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, a member of the St. Joseph's Health System, which operates hospitals in Hamilton and other health facilities in other parts of Ontario. Bowman recalls patients or family members screaming in her face, blocking doorways so she couldn’t leave a patient’s room, inappropriate touching and name calling. She said it's just become worse since she became a manager. “As a leader it’s a bit different, because it’s not whether or not violence or abuse will occur. It’s just how often you’ll see it in the day,” she said. “You want to help, so you try to step in and create plans to keep your staff safe. But there’s some days that you can really see the toll, both on yourself and on your teams as well.” Reports of violence rise 30%, study indicates Unfortunately, said Rick Rigby, president of Local 786 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Bowman’s experience is all too common. Rigby said the union, which represents employees at St. Joseph's, has seen a steady rise in reports about violent incidents in the workplace, year over year. This nurse says she's still suffering from a concussion a year after attack at hospital entrance “There are a lot of stress disorders and PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] things that happen to our members that are facing violence in the workplace." He said staff across every part of the hospital system — from doctors and nurses, to personal support workers (PSWs), kitchen staff and porters — experience verbal abuse. “There’s a variety of racial comments made," Rigby said. He added that younger, newer PSWs, registered practical nurses, and even kitchen staff and portering staff get called "all kinds of names.” Staff also experience physical violence, from patients, their families and members of the public, he said.

Family of fired health worker who committed suicide renews call for public inquiry Harold Roderick MacIsaac committed suicide 3 months after he was fired in 2012 On the Coast · CBC News · Posted: Jun 15, 2015 11:23 PM EDT | Last Updated: June 16, 2015 The family of fired B.C. health worker Roderick MacIsaac, who committed suicide in January 2013, is renewing their call for a public inquiry into why he and seven health workers were fired by the provincial government. In September 2012 MacIsaac was a PhD student working on a review of the province's smoking-cessation program, but was fired three days before finishing his term for allegedly improperly accessing government data. A coroner's report said that he had been experiencing significant stress related to occupational and academic matters in his life. It ruled his death a suicide. Documents released earlier this month show the RCMP were never given evidence by the government to investigate the wrongdoing which was used to justify the firings, despite the government telling the public an investigation was ongoing. The government has since admitted it was a "regrettable mistake," but MacIsaac's sister, Linda Kayfish, wants answers. On the Coast host Kirk Williams spoke to Kayfish on Monday. What was your reaction when you first heard there was no RCMP investigation? It's disappointing. It's a slap in the face, like I should have done more to see if I could get more answers, to find out what was going on, what had caused my brother so much stress. It leaves me dumbfounded that two-and-a-half years later we can find out there was no RCMP investigation. [Then-Health Minister] Margaret MacDiarmid got up and said there had been one started. Then they got up in January when they found my brother's body and they said there was a police investigation going on then. When I came last October to Victoria they could have said there was no police investigation at the time because it had already been cancelled by the RCMP themselves. They didn't come forward with that information.

Construction workers are dying by suicide at an alarming rate The construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates among professions, with an estimated 6,000 construction workers dying by suicide in 2022. Azbill, who got his start in construction as an ironworker, has been traveling to construction sites across the country sharing his story as he and others in the industry race to address what they say is an epidemic of suicide among their colleagues — many of whom are under increasing strain amid a nationwide construction boom and a shortage of workers. “In the construction industry, we’ve generationally been taught that if you talk to someone about a weakness or you’re struggling then you’re weak and you won’t get hired,” said Azbill. “One of the reasons I talk about it so freely is so people know that it’s normal and it’s OK.” The construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates among professions — with the rate among male construction workers 75% higher than men in the general population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated 6,000 construction workers by suicide in 2022, an increase from 2021, according to the most recent data available. That compares to around 1,000 who died from a construction work-related injury. “When you’re more likely to be killed by your own hands than to get killed in a jobsite accident, that’s a crisis in our industry,” said Brian Turmail, vice president of public affairs and workforce for the Associated General Contractors of America. “We know pretty much what needs to happen to protect people physically. We’re figuring out how to protect people mentally.” While construction wages are up and jobs are plentiful, those in the industry fear that the pressures on their workers’ mental health are only getting worse. A recent surge in construction projects, spurred by billions of federal dollars for infrastructure, clean energy and semiconductor projects have put increasing strain on an already stretched workforce. As a result, workers are putting in more than 10-hour days in harsh weather conditions, facing high-pressure deadlines and having to spend months away from home living in hotels, temporary workforce housing or their vehicles. There is also the risk of workplace injuries and a higher rate of opioid misuse along with the general financial instability of hourly work. “There’s a lot that goes into how stressful it is, not just physically, but mentally and psychologically,” said Josh Vitale, a superintendent for Hoffman Construction, the general contractor overseeing the Intel Arizona project where Azbill recently spoke. “I think progress is fantastic, but we have to realize that we are legitimately wringing the life out of people.”

How a Company Made Employees So Miserable, They Killed Themselves Aggressive downsizing at France Télécom culminated in 19 employee suicides. Case studies by Cynthia Montgomery and Ashley Whillans show how mistreating workers can have deadly consequences.

Over 1,500 Quebec doctors call for coroner’s inquest into suicides in profession MONTREAL - Over 1,500 Quebec doctors are calling for a coroner’s inquest after five doctors in the province reportedly died by suicide over a five-month period this year. Canadian Press MONTREAL - Over 1,500 Quebec doctors are calling for a coroner’s inquest after five doctors in the province reportedly died by suicide over a five-month period this year. The doctors sent a letter to Quebec’s chief coroner Sept. 18 asking for an inquest into suicides in their profession.

The experience of colleague suicide is unique, and the individuals involved are touched in a variety of ways. Colleague suicide brings private bereavement into the professional realm. Suicide rates and suicidal ideation among healthcare workers are shown to be greater than the general population. (Luce, 2024). Evidence suggests that exposure to workplace suicide is related to significant trauma and emotional distress. (Cerel, 2022). Much of the work we do in healthcare revolves around working in small cohesive teams often suggestive of a tight-knit family. The appreciation of a shared professional identity and similar values can solidify these relationships. Historically, healthcare providers have existed in a culture of invulnerability. The ability to be impervious to work-related or personal stressors and to focus squarely on the task of caring for and aiding our patients is highly valued. A strong stigma persists among health care workers who exhibit signs of emotional distress and disclosing personal issues in the workplace is mostly frowned upon. Workplace mental health has now moved to the forefront of challenges in most healthcare institutions. The pandemic created an aftershock of a professional identity crisis and fostered an opportunity to pause and reflect on how to maintain a healthier balance between work and personal life. Moving past the pandemic, there continues to be a desire to renegotiate what role work plays in our lives. For some, the daily struggle of showing up to care for patients becomes an overwhelming and consuming task. Anxiety, depression, and the vicarious trauma we experience in working with the sick and dying can create a perfect storm of emotional distress. Layered with personal crises such as family conflict, financial stressors, substance use and social isolation the result often emerges as increased sick time, medical leave, absenteeism, resignation, and termination. Many institutions are beginning to recognize that traditional models of support for employees, which have historically focused on the individual, have been compelled to reevaluate the culture of their organizations, the well-being of staff, and the supports necessary to maintain a mentally healthy workforce.

The death of a Treasury worker who took her own life the day after a meeting with her managers was "materially contributed" to by her employers, an inquest has heard. Chloe Moffat, 26, a personal assistant to a Treasury director, died on 20 May last year, after she was told of allegations she had shared sensitive confidential information about colleagues, which she denied. Surrey Coroner's Court heard the Treasury did not apply written disciplinary policy which would have made clear that if the allegations were proven, the likely penalty was a written warning, not dismissal. A spokesperson for the Treasury said it was "considering the findings carefully". In a statement to the press, Moffat's family said they believed the Treasury failed in its duty of care. "When she needed support, reassurance and fair treatment, she was left frightened, isolated and convinced her career and reputation had been destroyed," they added. The inquest, in which a conclusion of suicide was recorded, heard that on 19 May Moffat went to what she thought was a routine one-to-one with her line manager, but a more senior manager was also present. She was told of allegations she had shared sensitive personal information about colleagues, obtained as part of her job. Moffat, from London, denied this

I have to think how far down the rabbit hole I have been before. But I think I hate myself. Everything takes extreme effort.

So pretty, fuck

🫩I wish I was a neet fuck waging. Nothings changed

Yo so likeeee i need advice on one of my friendships. If i ignore them at school because I get really nervous around them (and yes I do like them, and they know I do) and look rather distant, if i randomly say hi or text them all happy and excited, would that make my friend annoyed/pissed off or make me look fake? Thx to whoever tells me smth. :]

this would get me cancelled to day out loud but i think that trans people in general in my opinion are just cosplaying and have internalised gender roles to an extreme. the only thing that makes someone a woman or a man is their genetic makeup. unless you’re a hermaphrodite that’s a different case, otherwise, you’re either male or female sorry. a dress or a suit or mannerisms or your hobbies or likes or dislikes don’t change that and doesn’t make you one or the other. you gender doesn’t determine how you have to behave or what you like to wear or what you like to do. those are the limits trans people imposed on themselves. they think that to be a woman you must like wearing dresses and make up and heels and speaking in a high pitched voice. and you couldn’t possibly be a woman and have a complicated relationship with secondary characteristics that came out during puberty (because of sexualisation and whatnot in society). nope, if you hate having boobs then you must clearly secretly just identify as a man. no nuance.

Love when she gets her hair done, those streaks of chocolate brown in her hair, so pretty. Her light makeup and her bedroom eyes, fawk I'm wet I need to...

i miss winter so much. i get like dysphoria but for seasons. summer feels so inherently wrong and foreign to my body i could actually just start sobbing if i think about how much i want the snow and cold back too much. the heat and light and crowds make me feel physically fucking anxious and agitated its like my body is going to explode. i want the cold wind to hurry up. i want the pretty lights and cheesy christmas songs. i want to go iceskating. i want my dark nighttime walks. i want to take my camera out for photos. oh my god dude. it genuinely hurts all over. why is it so fucking intense for me i feel like it gets worse every year uggghhhhhh

Hydra - Glitter Queen - 1974 - A great band from Atlanta 👍 Like many great bands of that time and style, they barely missed the boat that sailed with Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws and Skynyrd