Ray Rice and wife 'praying' for people planning to dress up as them for Halloween

Sources reported Tuesday that Ray and Janay Rice are "praying for those people" who plan to dress up as them for Halloween.

Multiple social media users have shared photos mocking the domestic violence incident between the married couple, and Janay responded to the controversy last week.

Ray was caught on video knocking his then-fiancée unconscious by punching her in the face in an Atlantic City casino elevator in February. He was charged with assault, and was eventually cut from the Ravens and suspended from the NFL.

Janay was engaged to Ray at the time of the attack, and married him a month later. She has remained supportive of her husband through considerable backlash, and has continued to express frustration with the negative media attention.

"It's sad, that my suffering amuses others," she tweeted to TMZ, after the gossip site posted a photo of a man wearing a Ray Rice jersey and dragging a blow-up doll by the foot.

Another person shared a photo of his parents in blackface, dressed up as Ray and Janay. The father wore a Ray Rice jersey, while the mother had a drawn-on black eye.

"So my mom and dad win the best Halloween costume ever," the man wrote. "#hitab**** #illtaketheelevator #shewasknockedupnowshesknockedout."

In another photo, a little boy in blackface is dressed up as Ray Rice. Donning an NFL uniform, eye black, and a sweatband, he is shown dragging a baby doll by her hair.

Many social media users criticized the costumes for making light of domestic violence.

"I have no respect for anyone who did the Ray Rice costume this year," one woman wrote. "Domestic violence is not a joke on any day."

TMZ reported that the couple became born-again Christians after the violent incident, and were baptised in March. They also allegedly provide spiritual counselling to other couples.

Ray Rice filed an appeal for his NFL suspension, and a hearing is scheduled to begin November 5.