Creating a Safe Tomorrow

For one survivor, escaping domestic violence wasn’t the end of the story. It was the beginning of building a new life rooted in safety, independence, and hope.

She arrived at Domestic Violence Solutions (DVS) with four children and an uncertain future. Traditional employment meant paying for childcare she couldn’t afford, creating another barrier to providing stability for her family.

Working alongside her, DVS’s Job & Life Skills team helped her find a path forward. With their support, she earned the training and certification to open an in-home daycare, creating a career that allowed her to support her children while caring for them. 

 “Within the first two months, she already had two clients,” says Mari Zaragoza, Job & Life Skills Coordinator. “It was such a remarkable change in her life, and something that was now a viable career for her, and allowed her to take care of her family.”

For Zaragoza, who has been with DVS for seven years, witnessing that transformation remains one of her proudest moments. It was about more than finding employment; it was about watching a survivor discover her ability to create a stable, hopeful future for herself and her children.

That transformation is at the heart of what DVS has been doing for nearly 50 years: helping survivors move beyond crisis toward safety, stability, and independence. Founded in 1977 as one of the nation’s first domestic violence shelters, DVS is now  Santa Barbara County’s only full-service provider of emergency services for survivors, offering far more than a safe place to stay.

When DVS was founded, domestic violence “wasn’t even recognized as a concern,” says Executive Director Ken Oplinger. Survivors had few rights and even fewer places to turn. Today, DVS provides two confidential emergency shelters, a 24-hour crisis line, advocates who respond alongside law enforcement and medical personnel, permanent housing, career development, counseling, and specialized programs designed to support survivors throughout their journey.

Tailoring Services to Each Individual’s Needs

No two survivors, or their paths to safety, are the same. Veronica Cubillo, Director of Programs & Client Services, has been with DVS for 10 years and knows that supporting survivors is more than a checklist.

“A lot of people tend to think that a safety plan is very cookie cutter,” says Cubillo. “But with domestic violence, everybody’s situation is completely different… So our services are tailored to the client’s needs.”

Sometimes that support begins in the middle of a crisis. DVS advocates respond alongside law enforcement to domestic violence 911 calls, providing something officers cannot: confidential, voluntary support focused entirely on the survivor.

The goal is not simply helping someone escape violence. It is to help them build a future where they can feel safe, regain their independence, and begin to hope again.

“We’re just here to help you along,” Cubillo says is the organization’s philosophy. “This is your journey.” Those four words capture the heart of DVS’s work: the future belongs to the survivor.