Since the dawn of history, women and children have represented the most vulnerable segments of societies. During the past several years, terrorist groups and state-sponsors have escalated targeting these populations including recruitment of members, explosions, kidnappings, conversions, slavery, rape, forced marriages, and murder. The brutalization and globalization of these expanded levels of violence are, indeed, unprecedented. On Friday, January 30th 2015 an expert panel met at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies to discuss the costs, lessons, future outlook, as well as related issues offering their insights and recommendations for “best practices” strategies to deal with this challenge. The opening remarks were presented by Michael S. Swetnam (CEO and Chairman, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies). The event was moderated by Professor Yonah Alexander (Director, Inter-University Center for Terrorism Studies, and Senior Fellow, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies). Panelists were Dr. Kathleen Kuehnast (Director, Center for Gender & Peacebuilding, United States Institute of Peace), Professor Patricia A. Maulden (Associate Professor of Conflict Resolution and Director, Dialogue & Difference Project, School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University), Nina Shea (Director, Center for Religious Freedom, Hudson Institute and international human-rights lawyer for over thirty years), Professor Michael Noone (The Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law), Dr. Mir Sadat (Professor of National Security and Foreign Policy, National Intelligence University). Closing remarks were presented by General (Ret.) Alfred Gray (Twenty-Ninth Commandant of the United States Marine Corps; Senior Fellow and Chairman of the Board of Regents, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies.