News (Page 2)

Woman Allegedly Raped by Police Sergeant

Most of us have probably heard of a recent local case regarding a woman allegedly raped by police sergeant following theft claim. Many were those, both men and women, who took to social media to voice their thoughts and judgements about this case. I must say that throughout the years I’ve watched silently as female victims of rape and sexual assault were further subjected to public slandering and accusations following their decision to report the act. It takes so much strength and courage for a woman to report abuse, yet instead of being supported in bringing a perpetrator to justice, she is victimised further byRead More…

decriminalisation of abortion

Like you, I was brought up here in Malta and was very anti-decriminalisation. I still remember when living in London in the late 80s I met a friend of a friend who said she had had an abortion. I was horrified, I just could not understand how anyone could kill their baby. I remember watching debates on British TV about abortion time frames, they were debating if abortion should be legal until 12 weeks or later? Again, I was horrified, to me, that was a baby from day one. To me, it was not a discussion about the number of weeks, abortion was the killingRead More…

Malta Dyslexia Association

Press Release by the Malta Dyslexia Association – Dyslexia Online Meeting April 2021 The Malta Dyslexia Association is organizing its fourth online meeting for 2021 on Thursday, 29th April 2021. The activity starts at 18:00 and will be facilitated by Dr Claire Francica, Existential Psychotherapist and Parental Alienation Practitioner. This session is open for parents, educators and students. It focuses on Addressing Burnout during the COVID 19 Pandemic. For more information on registration please contact MDA on 99498841 or send an email to [email protected] L-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija tad-Diżleksja qed torganizza ir-raba’ laqgħa virtwali għas-sena 2021 nhar il-Ħamis, 29 ta’ April 2021. L-attività ser tibda fis-6.00pm uRead More…

Beyond The Moon

‘Beyond the Moon’ Launches This Year’s Edition of The Perfect Gift Fair – Mother’s Day 2021 Following the success of the charity’s Christmas Perfect Gift Fair, the upcoming event has also gone online due to the prevailing pandemic. Children’s charity Beyond the Moon is happy to announce that this year’s The Perfect Gift Fair – Mother’s Day 2021 has gone virtual in the footsteps of The Perfect Gift Fair – Christmas 2020 Edition, which raised €1,160. The Mother’s Day fair is live and will run until 9 May 2021. Proceeds will go to the same philanthropic cause. Beyond the Moon is an international charity basedRead More…

sexual assault

Sexual Assault can be defined as unwanted sexual activity without prior consent or permission. This includes unwanted sexual touching or fondling, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, unwanted sexting, forced sexual acts (eg. oral sex), attempted rape or actual penetration (rape) of the victim. It is very common for the victim to feel guilty following sexual assault – “maybe my skirt was too short”, “maybe I was too friendly”, “maybe I led him on”, “maybe I got what I deserved”… No, no matter what, it is and should NEVER be considered as the victim’s fault. Nothing one does should warrant unwanted and unconsented sexual assault! If you’veRead More…

online purchases

Online purchases can be very convenient, especially during these uncertain times. Here is all you need to know about online purchases and the cooling off period – a consumer’s right… With so many items being bought and sold online due to lock down we at wham think it is important to remind consumers their rights and to remind vendors their responsibilities. Purchases affected online, or over the telephone both from local and foreign suppliers are subject to what is known as the two-week cooling off period. The 14-day cooling-off period starts the day the consumer receives the item. This means that purchasers have the rightRead More…

Machination

Photographer Fran Stivala takes us behind the scenes of the creation of the photograph for the poster of the film, ‘Machination’. A powerful stream of light radiated through a small high window in an Mgarr townhouse-cum-studio where the photograph for the film ‘Machination’ would be shot. Striking an element as it was, the window had to be covered up for the making of this particular photograph, as even ambient light is required. The film is a psychological thriller that follows the dark convolutions of the mind of the main protagonist, Maria, played by actress Steffi Thake, and her battle to overcome them while cooped upRead More…

cystic fibrosis malta mandy vella

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition that causes mucus build-up within the lungs and the digestive system, causing lung infections and food digestion problems. Typically, CF symptoms start to show up in early childhood and worsen over time due to an increase in lung and digestive system damage, leading to an unfortunate shortened life expectancy. Adequate treatments can help reduce CF effects, promoting better living. Scientific evidence has shown that Trikafta (a.k.a. Kaftrio in Europe) has a positive impact on CF patients, improving their lung function by 14% (Cystic Fibrosis Trust). The downside to this is that it is a very expensive drug which makesRead More…

women in poverty

Women in Poverty and Social Exclusion – What is the root of the existing inequality between men and women? Women are constantly fighting battles. Over the years, our fight has been shaped around various social aspects; from fighting for universal suffrage, to the fight against discrimination, violence and femicide; to other social struggles, including the right to be paid equally to men, for work of the same value and equal representation on boards, in Parliament and other key leadership roles. One of the pillars on the United Nation’s agenda is the fight against poverty. We cannot not acknowledge the advancement both locally, and internationally withRead More…

Every year on March 8th we get to celebrate International Women’s Day on a global scale. International Women’s Day has been celebrated for over a century, exactly since 1911, and it has been bringing everyone together collectively towards one main aim ever since. Social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women are commemorated on this day. However, this day also encourages us to remember and act upon the importance of working towards women’s equality. The European Commission issued the following statement in commemoration of International Women’s Day 2021: “The past year was a difficult one. The COVID-19 pandemic has spared nobody, and was particularly challengingRead More…