Do combantants really use the tactic of having women and children stand behind them to create collateral damage?

I was watching Rules of Engagement which takes place in Yemen, snipers were shooting up the U.S. embassy, and they had women holding small children stand behind them….I presume this is so when they take returning fire the women and children might get hit and they can claim: “Hey, the U.S. is killing women and children” I can’t believe women would actually be willing to put themselves and their child at risk