Mom of 4 Turns Abuse Survival Into Mission to Help Others

Guadalupe Sosa smiles often these days, a stark contrast to the eight years she spent unable to look people in the eye or speak to cashiers. The Santa Ana mother of four survived a decade of domestic violence and now sits on a council helping others escape similar situations.

At 27, Sosa attends Santa Ana College pursuing sociology, plans to study criminal justice at a four-year university, and runs her own baking business. She's also one of five members of Human Options' Survivor Advisory Council, a group that shapes how the nonprofit responds to domestic abuse.

"I think life is beautiful," Sosa said during a recent podcast recording. "I'm proud of myself." But she's equally willing to share the painful details that brought her here.

The abuse began when Sosa was a promising freshman volleyball player. Her boyfriend moved her to Coachella, isolating her from family for years. She had no money, no ID, no phone, no TV. She cleaned, cooked, slept, and eventually had four children.

"I just became a missing person at that point," Sosa said. She couldn't run because she didn't know the area and had no resources to survive the desert landscape.

In January 2022, during a violent encounter, Sosa crawled away while breastfeeding her youngest son and called 911. Police arrested him. Child Protective Services took her children temporarily. Her freedom began that night.

The Ripple Effect

Human Options CEO Maricela Rios-Faust created the Survivor Advisory Council specifically because survivors understand what works and what doesn't. Each of the five members experienced different types of relationship violence, bringing unique perspectives to strategic decisions.

"Really, the experts in that lived experience are survivors themselves," Rios-Faust explained. The council ensures the 45-year-old organization doesn't oversimplify solutions or apply generic approaches to individual situations.

Their work matters especially for teens. One in three American teens will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse before becoming adults. February marks Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, highlighting these often-hidden relationships that can span years.

Sosa now answers the question people often ask survivors: "Why didn't you just leave?" She knows firsthand that leaving takes resources, support, timing, and courage most people can't imagine needing.

Her story reminds others that thriving after trauma isn't just possible but achievable with the right help.