Here are excerpts from recent editorials in Oklahoma newspapers:

The Oklahoman. Oct. 13, 2019.

- Church report provides lesson on transparency

With its approach to determining which of its priests may have committed sexual abuse, the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City impressed even a group that’s been one of the Catholic Church’s most vocal critics throughout the clergy abuse scandal. There’s a lesson to be learned here.

Zach Hiner, executive director of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, said the archdiocese’s report “goes into much greater detail than most other reports commissioned by church officials.”

“Notably, it is one of few that goes into detail about crucial information which church officials often leave off their own reports: when were allegations received, and what actions church officials took in response,” Hiner said.

Credit for this forthrightness goes to Archbishop Paul Coakley, who was installed in 2011. Coakley ordered the review to be conducted by an independent law firm, McAfee & Taft, and for the firm be given access to all archdiocese records going back to 1960.

In a letter to the faithful attached to the Oct. 3 release of the report, Coakley explained that given how the clergy sex abuse scandal can diminish trust in priests and religious, “a new level of transparency and accountability is required” to demonstrate his office’s seriousness about creating and maintaining safe environments.

In advance of the report’s release, some, including the former head of SNAP, criticized the fact that a law firm was conducting the investigation, instead of law enforcement. They also noted McAfee & Taft had a longtime relationship with the archdiocese, and that a partner at the firm is the son of the archdiocese’s chancellor.

The archdiocese said it believed McAfee & Taft could conduct an independent probe. That proved true.

The firm produced a 77-page report that identified 11 clergy who had been credibly accused of sexually abusing minors during the past six decades, but the report also was unsparing in its criticism of the archdiocese’s record-keeping system and its leaders’ poor responses to allegations involving bad priests.

Catholics interviewed last weekend by The Oklahoman’s religion editor, Carla Hinton, applauded the report’s thoroughness and independence. The president of a group called Bishop Accountability called it “a good report. Give credit where credit is due.”

McAfee & Taft noted that it only recently received, after months of trying, 37 boxes of files that had been kept at the residence of the archdiocese’s former chancellor and her husband, a former general counsel for the archdiocese. And, a review is underway of the files of priests who served in the archdiocese prior to 1960.

Thus, more unwelcome news may be coming. But getting that news from an independent source and handling it transparently is vital to the Church’s work of eradicating sexual abuse and restoring trust. Other organizations, secular and nonsecular alike, that face sexual abuse allegations might want to consider following the archdiocese’s example.

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Tulsa World. Oct. 14, 2019.

- Federal grant to clear rape kit backlog

The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office has been awarded a federal grant that will allow the state to test hundreds of backlogged rape evidence kits.

The $2.5 million Sexual Assault Kit Initiative from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance is a welcome opportunity to set things right for Oklahoma sexual assault victims.

A state task force found more than 7,200 untested sexual assault evidence kits among more than 300 agencies. That is an unacceptable record.

The backlog developed for myriad reasons, including having no consistent testing protocols and underfunding and understaffed sheriff and police departments.

The grant will be used to clear pending cases and fund other initiatives to aid in the response to sexual assaults.

Officials must learn from the mistakes that generated this problem, and never let it happen again.

The consistent failure to process rape kits in a timely fashion endangers the public by leaving rapists on the streets. It also denies justice to victims. It’s a troubling indictment of the state’s commitment and its competence.

The Legislature took steps in the right direction with the passage of several bills in the past session.

Among the reforms is a requirement for agencies to keep all rape evidence for at least 50 years or through the statute of limitations and a requirement for kits to be submitted for testing within 20 days of the rape report, except when a victim requests no testing.

Also, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is directed by Senate Bill 967 to develop a statewide tracking system for rape kits and place a priority on backlogged cases.

These are significant changes considering no previous laws directed the testing, maintenance or preservation of rape evidence. It was left to investigators handling the cases.

Attorney General Mike Hunter told The Oklahoman: “Kits are going to be tested, and we’ve taken steps to ensure that this backlog, this really regrettable backlog that was allowed to occur, won’t happen again.”

We applaud Hunter for this position and the lawmakers pushing for improved sexual assault response.

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Enid News & Eagle. Oct. 15, 2019.

- Flu vaccine a good defense

Be prepared. That’s the best advice we can give, especially when it comes to influenza.

The flu is making its presence felt in Oklahoma, and state officials are saying this could be a bad flu season.

For most people, the flu means a few miserable days with fever, cough, body aches and other symptoms. However, for some, the flu can be deadly. Thousands of people die each year from complications related to influenza, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

One of the best ways to protect yourself is to get the flu vaccine. Getting vaccinated doesn’t guarantee you won’t get the flu, but the vaccine provides the best defense we have.

We’d encourage everyone 6 months and older be vaccinated.

Flu shots are available at a variety of places, including your doctor’s office, county health departments and local pharmacies. County health departments accept SoonerCare, Medicare, all private health insurance, cash, checks or credit cards.

Flu vaccinations can be given through a variety of ways, including the regular shot injected into the muscle, a nasal spray and a shot given in the skin, which uses a smaller needle, according to CDC.

According to the state Health Department, public health officials recommend the following prevention tips:

- Adopt a healthy lifestyle by eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly and getting a full night’s rest.

- Wash hands frequently using soap and water, or alcohol-based products such as hand gels when hands are not visibly soiled.

- Use tissues to cover coughs and sneezes, then dispose of them and wash your hands immediately. When tissues are not readily available, cough into your sleeve, not your hands.

- Stay home from work, school and other public places when feeling ill.

No defense is 100%, but doing what you can, including getting a flu shot, will go a long way to keeping you and your family healthy.

Please get a flu shot if you are eligible. As always, prevention is the best medicine.

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