Sexual harassment trainer accepts lawmaker criticism

Members of the Minnesota House went through sexual harassment training this week.

It was instituted after two lawmakers resigned late last year over allegations of sexual misconduct.

The Pioneer Press reported that while a number of lawmakers thought the training was a good starting point, several female DFL members were offended. Some felt the perspective was too sympathetic to those who would be accused, instead of discussing the victim perspective.

"I accept those criticisms," said trainer Linda Holstein, an employment defense attorney in Minneapolis and a trial lawyer with Holstein Law Group. She said she understands why that was upsetting.

But Holstein also said she believes the best way to train people "and how to encourage reporting of it is to talk about the nuances of it, and that it is a complex problem, a huge problem in a workplace, but something that has to be looked at at many levels."

Click on the audio player above to hear their conversation.