In the courtyard, a long wooden bench was placed. They would force a man onto it, pull down his outer trousers, and have two men stand on either side, each wielding a paddle.
The paddle was wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, measuring nearly two inches at its widest point. Furthermore, many sharp, pointed studs were hammered into the top of it. One strike would leave a person mangled and bloody. A normal person could barely withstand a few blows; even a sturdy, grown man could take, at most, a dozen. If one were beaten heavily, they would essentially be crippled for life.
Although the blows were directed at the buttocks, if the flesh was mangled, it would be difficult to heal. Most crucially, some black-hearted thugs would intentionally aim a few inches lower, striking directly at the thighs. For a man, the thighs were connected to his most vital parts; after dozens of such blows, it was doubtful he would ever be able to father children again.
Chapter 28