Christine, Irena, Karen, Yvette, Margaret, Meryem, Silvana, Caroline, Eleanor, Maria, Antonia, Shannon, Lourdes, Marija Lourdes, Angele and Chantelle.

Photo: Xara Palace

These are the names of women who were murdered in the past 10 years and whom X Factor judge Alexandra Alden remembered on the final show watched by tens of thousands on Saturday night.

Each victim’s name was individually strung on Ms Alden’s gown with a red bow, paying homage “to all the potential that was robbed with every victim that we lost to domestic violence”. 

Ms Alden was one of four judges of the TV talent show that came to an end this weekend, seeing off Destiny Chukunyere as Malta’s participant in this year's Eurovision Song Contest.

Together with couturier Luke Azzopardi, Ms Alden chose to make her last gown about all the women “lost to this horrible reality”.

It has been a week since the murder of Chantelle Chetcuti, who was stabbed at least five times in the head and neck.

The 34-year-old mother-of-two had refused to stay in an unhealthy relationship, according to her family. 

Her murder has seen increased calls for an end to violence against women and a surge in the number of abuse survivors seeking assistance. 

Some of the faces of the 16 women murdered in the past 10 years

Ms Alden and her team at Luke Azzopardi Studio felt completely heartbroken to hear of yet another woman who was victim to brutal domestic violence. 

“It’s so unfortunate that these matters are only discussed when another shocking incident occurs and makes headlines for a day or two and then fades from the media’s immediate attention. 

The reality is that domestic violence is an ongoing occurrence and there are many people - mainly women - living in fear and silence every day who are terrified to speak up or don’t feel like they have the support they need to break free from the shackles,” the young musician, singer and songwriter told Times of Malta.

“It is in the names that we've hung that we remember all the beauty that was shattered, all the victims that were made and all the opportunity that was stifled, choked and stolen away from the women that were dehumanised the past decade,” she told Facebook followers before the show on Saturday.

“X Factor throws at us so many beautiful individuals with dreams to chase and a platform to do it on. Chantelle's, like those of too many others, were cut short - and I refuse to think that's a normal we should be accepting.”

On Sunday she told Times of Malta that writing music has always been a way to make sense of and channel feelings into something that was of value to herself and potentially to others.

Sketch by Luke Azzopardi

“If I can make a difference by voicing my opinion on matters that I feel strongly about through art then I will definitely continue to do so.”

Acknowledging that both men and women could be victims of domestic violence, she noted that in reality women were statistically more prone to a brutal fate. 

“Violence is definitely not the answer in any situation. The fact that someone can feel such power and entitlement over another human being is not right at all and there are many factors at play which lead to such a terrifying outcome,” she said, adding that it was everyone’s duty to build a better society.

Urging them to call 179 for support, Ms Alden warned survivors: “It is not love if it is destroying you”.