[AlexCoventry]

If your typical teenage girl was inclined and legally allowed to carry a sword and wield it against assailants, it's possible I would agree with you. They're not, though, and we should be glad to live in a society where no one needs to and sane people generally don't want to.

The implied threat of potential rape makes flashing a young women at least as violent as a credible threat to beat someone within an inch of their life.

I'm sympathetic to ReformedFelonForHire's situation, and regard this humiliating punishment as extreme, unnecessary and destructive to the fabric of society, but I don't think that means we should minimize the harm of his error.