whipping/flogging as corporal punishment - how to stage realistically?
I'm working on a story in which one character (Character A) is compelled to physically discipline another (Character B), using some sort of flogger or whip. The characters in question are two able-bodied men in their late twenties / early thirties. They're both physically fit and approximately the same height.
The character on the receiving end needs to be bleeding and in a lot of pain (with probably some nerve/tendon damage) by the end of the proceedings, but he can't be so badly injured that immediate medical attention is necessary.
My questions are:
What kind of weapon should Character A be using? Bearing in mind that he is not going to be proficient with this weapon at all, so it has to be something relatively easy to wield (unlike a bullwhip, say).
If I want to hurt Character B, but not permanently maim him, how many lashes should he receive? (He will be getting medical attention shortly afterward, just not immediately.) What is realistic?
For my research, I've checked out all the entries under medicine (injuries - misc.). I've read the Wikipedia entries on flogging, whipping, scourging, and corporal punishment. I've been to a number of BDSM sites, especially ones that talk about flogging safely. I've tried various Google searches including "flogging," "tissue/nerve damage from whipping," and "flogging bdsm safety."
Note: this is not a BDSM fic. I just figured those sites would tell me what sort of things to avoid, and they do, but that's not quite what I'm looking for.
ETA: Sorry, I forgot to include the setting. This is science fiction, set in the future on another world. So, in terms of weapons, I'm not limited by what exists currently or what existed in the past.
The character on the receiving end needs to be bleeding and in a lot of pain (with probably some nerve/tendon damage) by the end of the proceedings, but he can't be so badly injured that immediate medical attention is necessary.
My questions are:
What kind of weapon should Character A be using? Bearing in mind that he is not going to be proficient with this weapon at all, so it has to be something relatively easy to wield (unlike a bullwhip, say).
If I want to hurt Character B, but not permanently maim him, how many lashes should he receive? (He will be getting medical attention shortly afterward, just not immediately.) What is realistic?
For my research, I've checked out all the entries under medicine (injuries - misc.). I've read the Wikipedia entries on flogging, whipping, scourging, and corporal punishment. I've been to a number of BDSM sites, especially ones that talk about flogging safely. I've tried various Google searches including "flogging," "tissue/nerve damage from whipping," and "flogging bdsm safety."
Note: this is not a BDSM fic. I just figured those sites would tell me what sort of things to avoid, and they do, but that's not quite what I'm looking for.
ETA: Sorry, I forgot to include the setting. This is science fiction, set in the future on another world. So, in terms of weapons, I'm not limited by what exists currently or what existed in the past.