Abuse victim tells her story

The harrowing testimony of a woman who shocked the nation with her revelations in court of how her husband "tortured" her for 23 years in repeated instances of domestic violence, including presenting her with a small coffin, has had a positive effect: it has empowered a number of women, who were undergoing similar experiences, to speak up and seek help.

One such woman has chosen to talk to Pink, and her story can be read in its 16th issue out with The Times tomorrow.

This woman cannot recall how many times she was beaten up by her husband since they got married some 18 years ago. She is now just over 40, but her eyes have seen more than words can ever tell.

It's not the first time Pink has treated the subject of domestic violence... and it won't be the last. Too many cases are still hidden away; too many fears still prevail. Unfortunately, it takes one woman's physical and psychological torture at the hands of an abusive husband to encourage others in her same sad predicament to come out.

The story in tomorrow's edition is timely in that the Domestic Violence Act should be coming into force this month. On a more upbeat note, love is in the air... and on Pink's pages. The heart is a vital organ and requires attention both from the emotional, but also from the health point of view. So check out Pink's healthy heart tips and, while investing in the right type of exercise and food, and binning the bad habits, hearts can also be nourished with some love letters from the past.

Pink's interior design section deals with the creation of romantic settings in bedrooms, while other features treat the phenomenon of older woman/younger man relationships, which is breaking beyond celebrity circles.

For information on the evolution of the Maltese family model, what the woman in the street thinks of divorce and a look into the existence of chemistry between couples, get hold of a copy tomorrow.

Published by Allied Newspapers Ltd and produced by MediaMaker, Pink's executive editors are Fiona Galea Debono and Ariadne Massa and it is designed by Helen Cassar Torreggiani and Joseph Schembri.