An editorial cartoon we published Sunday in the print edition of The Indianapolis Star offended many readers, and I want to address those concerns.

The cartoon, drawn by staff cartoonist Gary Varvel, depicted Dr. Christine Blasey Ford appearing before a Senate committee to speak about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Our editorial pages, which include columns and cartoons, strive to present diverse opinions across the political spectrum. In Sunday’s paper, for example, Varvel’s work ran next to another syndicated cartoon that presented an opposing view.

But the Indy Star also has a responsibility to promote a civil discourse and to present diverse viewpoints in a way that does not demean or appear to belittle anyone who says they are the victim of a sexual assault.

Our readers deserved better in this case.

The cartoon did not meet our high standards. Our – and Varvel’s – intent was not to attack Dr. Ford. “My cartoon was focused only on Ford's demands, not on whether she was telling the truth,” Varvel said. “This is a point I should have made clearer in my cartoon. As a husband and father of a daughter and granddaughters, I take sexual harassment very seriously.”

As the executive editor of The Star, I am very proud of the work Indy Star journalists have done over the past two years, being at the national forefront of giving voice to sexual assault victims and exposing wrongdoing with our investigation of USA Gymnastics.

We will continue to work vigilantly and thoughtfully to earn your respect.