10 most merciless torment done on women in human history.

Let's acknowledge the unfortunate history of women's treatment throughout the ages. Women have faced oppression, being considered property, denied voting rights until 1920, and often being paid less than men for similar work. However, the deliberate infliction of pain on women takes cruelty to another level. Here, we explore ten brutal methods of punishment inflicted on women throughout history, some of which continue in certain parts of the world today.

1. The Spanish Donkey: Also known as the Wooden Horse, the Spanish Donkey was a device used during medieval times and the Spanish Inquisition. It involved a sharp triangular wedge supported by legs. Women would be forced to straddle the pointed end, sometimes covered in spikes, causing injury to their lower regions. The victims often experienced pain and, in some cases, even death due to blood loss. Weighted legs were added for extra punishment, causing damage to bones and internal organs.

2. The Pair of Anguish: This device, also known as the Mouth Pair, allegedly inflicted punishment on women from the 1400s to the 1800s. It consisted of a pear-shaped metal body divided into spoon-like segments, sometimes spiked. The device could be spread apart through a spring or by turning a key. While there is limited evidence of its actual use, historical accounts suggest its purpose was to cause irreversible damage.

3. Burning at the Stake: Dating back to ancient times, this method involved tying women to a stake and setting them on fire. Women were put to death in this manner for various reasons, including alleged crimes, religious beliefs, or race. Notable figures like Joan of Arc faced this brutal punishment. While it continued in America's colonies and beyond, none of the women accused of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts were burned at the stake.

4. Stoning: This punishment involved a group of people throwing rocks at an individual until death. It was prescribed for offenses like breaking the Sabbath, cursing God, adultery, and more. While stoning is associated with ancient times, it still occurs in certain countries today, although it is condemned by international law.

5. Republican Marriage: During the French Revolution, a Republican Marriage involved stripping a man and woman, tying them together, and throwing them into a river. Though reports of such marriages exist, there is limited evidence of their actual occurrence.

6. The Iron Chair: This method involved a chair covered in razor-sharp spikes. Women would be forced to sit on it for hours, resulting in blood loss and slow roasting due to fires lit underneath. It was primarily used on women accused of crimes like adultery, witchcraft, and murder.

7. Catherine's Wheel: Named after Saint Catherine of Alexandria, this device was used to torture individuals. The victim's back would be strapped to a spiked wheel, and their limbs would be bashed. Deaths from this method were often slow and agonizing.

8. The Breast Ripper: As the name suggests, this device aimed to maim women's bodies. It included four claws used to rip the breasts of unmarried mothers or those accused of adultery. Fortunately, its use is believed to have ceased after the Middle Ages.

9. Foot Binding: Although initially intended for beautification, foot binding became a torturous practice for Chinese women. Young girls' feet were bound tightly with silk cloth, breaking bones and causing lifelong disabilities. The practice persisted for centuries, affecting a significant portion of the female population until activism and societal changes led to its decline.

10. The Judas Cradle: This torture device involved forcing women to sit on a pyramid-shaped seat, impaling them through the vagina or anus. The victim's own weight caused further agony and injuries. This sadistic method was used to punish alleged witches and women accused of other crimes.

These forms of punishment represent the cruelty women have endured throughout history. While some practices have become obsolete, it is crucial to recognize the progress made in improving women's rights and ending such brutality.