If I'm in the equation, it'll involve at least one ship being blowed up... my own. I'll totally self-destruct! I'm a scarred mad-man! I gave up enough lunch money when I was a kid, I won't be handing it over as an adult. Not even in a game. I wonder if my refusal to play along will be considered griefing? I predict I'll be a "Death of a Spaceman" mechanics expert in short order.
They talked about this and the ability and how emp might be able to disable your ship from even being able to self-destruct or make it harder for you to self-destruct as it prevents the possible payout for the risk the pirates incurred .
CIG has been rather vague in their handling of the pvp part which I think is mostly due to wanting to have us be the guinea pig as they start to implement security systems and reputation.
Reputation will be everything and will have different layers based upon factions and regions. Security forces can come in a number of ways from regional like the UEC, local militia and even local private security forces like Port Olisar could have a private security force hired by crusader industries to protect their interests.
They have also talked about how the sat com network will also impact ones ability to call for help, which would allow pirates to do coordinated attacks by taking down a sat com setting up an interdiction site and bug out before local security is aware. In fact it might be possible to do all of that with out leaving a trace and thus no rep hit.
This is all to say that we really don't know as CIG has said they have ideas but that is all they have so far and are planning to work with us as they start to implement it.