Men must study at groundbreaking war rape centre too, says its head

It is vital that men sign up to study at London’s new centre for ending war rape because it is not solely a women’s issue, says the professor in charge.

Christine Chinkin is head of the groundbreaking Women, Peace and Security Department opened at the London School of Economics by Angelina Jolie and William Hague. She said so far most of the inquiries about the department, which launches its masters programme in October, have been from female students. Professor Chinkin said she hopes that will change, and the centre will help bring the subject into the mainstream.

The ultimate aim of the new centre, the first of its kind in Europe, is to stop rape being used as a weapon of war.

Students will look at practical ways to end sexual violence, such as getting women to help design refugee camps.

On sexual inequality, Professor Chinkin said: “Clearly that has got to be about relationships between men and women, men have got to be involved as much as women.”

Mr Hague’s work on shining a spotlight on sexual violence in conflict has been invaluable, she said, but warned: “What you don’t want to do is say it only becomes an important issue when a man talks about it.”

LSE students can study a module in Women, Peace and Security from October. A full degree will follow.

Professor Chinkin was due to retire from her post as professor of international law at LSE, but put it off to launch the centre. She said: “I don’t think I would have stayed for anything else.”

The centre has the potential to change the “tolerance” towards war rape she said, adding: “An environment where the blame is shifted to the perpetrators and women are not stigmatised for having been a victim of such crimes would be a huge mindset shift.”