In my opinion, the whipping is counter-productive. The cross is torture enough. I'd rather be taken to the cross, unwhipped and nailed. I'd likely suffer longer anyways.I think the reason they whipped the victim first, male or female, is because to crucify someone without any whip marks, even if completely naked, exhausted, in visible agony, even unconscious on the cross, and despite the clearly visible nails, it looks as if they have been spared of something. Whereas a body covered in whip marks looks more as if they have been punished or tortured, then their poor, naked or nearly naked, male or female whip-marked body has been crucified with nails.