Religion

Religion was allways about control. Sure, a few individuals were in it for all the right reasons; to save souls, as true believers, working to further Gods plan. But the higher you climb in all religious hierachies, the more power you got. And as we all know, power corrupts.

As such, it was never a surprise when several religions, especially those headed by males, really adopted the new system.

Religions were a perfect fit for the new system. Rules? Check! Men in positions of power? Check! Devout followers, who would carry out or submit to punishments? Check!
Of course, the rules depended on the religion in question. Some religions established punishments in churches or other such places of worship. Services could being with accusations of sacrilegious behaviour being brought forth, and the minister/priets/iman/whatever in charge would judge such accusations and deal out punishments accordingly. Such judgement were often done by divine inspiration, leaving the heathen in question without any realistic possibility. Many women found themself in front of their peers, receiving divine punishment. Some congregation, believing in the power of community, allowed the members to participate in the punishments. In others, the head of faith would administer the punishment as representative of the divine. And there were even faiths where the women were asked to punish themself, to prove their willingness to repent.

In other faiths, punishments were dealt with privately. Either through housecalls or in the holy isolation of a punishment cell or booth.

Regardless of the specifics, religions of all denominations embraced the new rules with religious fervor.