Woman gets public whipping by own mum for stealing clothes in Guatemala

In a bizarre punishment, a Guatemalan woman suffered a humiliating and painful punishment at the hands of her mother when she was accused of stealing clothes from a local shop in an indigenous community.

The 35-year-old Tomasa Tzoc Tipaz, 35, was forced to kneel in front of a shouting crowd in the village of San Antonio Ilotenango, in east Guatemala, and subject herself to a whipping - by her own mother.

According to local media, Tipaz was whipped a total of 15 times, first by her mum and then the local Mayor.

Tipaz had allegedly been caught stealing, and after refusing to tell the local indigenous authorities who her accomplices were, they ordered that she should be whipped.

She was taken to the local football ground where residents were invited to watch her punishment.

Video from the incident showed her bending down with the local 'Mayor', Maria Lucas, lifting her Tipaz's shirt over her head.

Her mother, dressed in green, is then seen whipping her across the back five times with a branch.

The Mayor then continues the whipping, forcefully striking her, who begins crying in pain.

In total, the alleged thief was whipped 15 times and can be seen in tears at the end of the punishment as she hugs her mother and apologises for her suspected crime.

According to Juan Zapet, the mayor of Santa Cruz del Quiche, five whips are carried out for the offence to 'Mother Earth and the creator', five for the offence to the people, and five more for the offence to the victim.