At my secondary school punishment was administered on the bottom, teachers using a tennis pump and the head the cane(the deputy headmistress dealt with the girls). I’m surprised you got so used to the belt that it’s impending arrival caused little concern, I don’t think any of my classmates, be they boys or girls, would have said the same about the cane.
I can’t remember getting any beltings or other whackings at primary, but at secondary it seemed to change overnight, I can imagine with you the cane or ruler on the hand being absolute hell. Thinking back now it must have been terrifying for a young kid to experience that.