Salvaging is the term used to refer to executions held in public in Gilead. Those who are executed are referred to as having been Salvaged.
Women's Salvagings[]
The executions of women are held in public and presided over by the Aunts. Handmaids have to sit in the center of a lawn near the stage the 'Salvagings' take place and are forced to participate. Women criminals are usually hanged. Women can be executed for crimes such as adultery or the murder of Handmaids. It is implied that women who are to be executed are drugged beforehand to keep them from causing trouble. Handmaids, and possibly other women in attendance, are not given breakfast prior to attending a Salvaging, which is done from practicality, as the sight can cause the women to throw up.
Handmaids are given the rope used to hang the condemned and pull altogether, thus sharing in the 'duty' of executing those who commit crimes against the regime. June Osborne (as Offred) states that the Aunts used to announce for what crimes the women are being executed; however, they stopped doing this because it seemed to encourage a spate of similar crimes.
Men's Salvagings[]
Little is known about men's Salvagings, as women are not allowed to attend; however, after being executed, bodies of deceased convicts are displayed on the Wall as further punishment and to serve as a warning. Men are often executed for 'Gender Treachery' i.e. homosexuality, adultery, or providing abortion or birth control even in the pre-Gilead days. In addition, men are executed for religious beliefs conflicting with Gilead's official religion: a Roman Catholic priest, a Jewish man, and a Muslim man have been seen hanging from the Wall at various times. Offred mentions that, though unusual, some salvagings for men may take place at a football stadium. Salvagings may occur anywhere in Gilead regardless of the gender or class of the condemned.
On rare occasions, male criminals are subjected to 'Particicutions' where he is literally torn apart or beaten to death by Handmaids. Men executed in this manner have typically committed crimes such as rape, something deeply personal to the women.
Emily Malek (as Ofglen #1) mentions she knows of one alleged rapist who was actually a member of Mayday, the underground resistance, indicating that the Gileadean government uses show-trials to fabricate charges in order to execute traitors and rebels and remove them as threats. It is likely they take the same approach with both men and women.
Rebel Salvagings[]
At least one mock Salvaging has taken place, orchestrated by the rebels when they wish to execute Gilead loyalists for the atrocities they have committed under the regime. June Osborne encouraged Esther Keyes and her disguised Marthas to carry out the killing of Guardian Johnny Pogue. Fred Waterford was killed by June and other former Handmaids in a Salvaging in the woods of Gilead.