Jane recalled the night she was beaten: "With my friends, he acted nasty. But he always treated me like a queen..." Minneapolis, Minnesota

Your Mirror: Portraits from the ICP Collection
Section: Social change
For more than thirty years, Donna Ferrato has been documenting the effects of domestic violence on abused women and their children. These groundbreaking pictures are paired with texts by the photographer drawn from her conversations with the victims and perpetrators of abuse. Jane, from Minnesota, had always felt that her boyfriend treated her “like a goddess.” So she was surprised at the attack, which would be his first and last on her. “His whole body went into beating me; he used all of it that night.” Jane had to have facial surgery to repair her nose and cheekbones. Richard went to jail and then to a courtordered program for batterers. One year later, he was arrested again for beating a new girlfriend.
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Her friends had suspected something sinister about Richard, but Jane, from Minnesota, always defended her boyfriend, who treated her "like a goddess." So Jane was surprised at the attack, although it would be Richard's first and last on her. "He became irrationally jealous. His whole boddy went into beating me; he used all of it that night. I went to the floor about three times, and each time I got up, he would continue to hit me and kcik me over and over. . . .I want everyone to see what he did so the next woman won't be fooled by his Mr. Nice Guy act." Jane had to have facial surgery to repair her nose and cheekbones. She pressed charges. Richard went to jail and then to a court-ordered program for batterers. One year later, he was arrested again for beating a new girlfriend.