Armies Using Rape As Tool Of War To Be Shamed

In a piece of cool news, the United Nations Security Council has voted to publicly shame armed groups around the world who use rape and other abuses of women as a weapon of war.

This may not seem like much. After all, it's not a withdrawal of a privilege or a formal sanction of some sort, but it is a big deal for the UN to recognize that they must condemn violence against women, especially when it is used as a weapon to systematically harm and demoralize groups of people.

Also, what we know is that public stigma can be a powerful motivator. If a man's friends make it clear that they disapprove of spousal abuse and they think badly of men who do it, many men will be less likely to harm their wives, knowing that they will face a loss of social status. Clearly, the UN is hoping for the same results in the nations to whom they draw attention with this effort. We hope it works.