Human trafficking documentary to be screened Monday

Patrick Erlandson and actress Isabella Feliciana at the recent Father-Con  screening of the film “Maya” in Downey. Photo by Alistair Hunter

DOWNEY – Father-Con, an organization that aims to prevent human trafficking by amplifying the importance of fathers, will present the documentary film “Vulnerable Innocent” this Monday, March 18, at 6 pm at LOOK Theatre in Downtown Downey.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A on how to keep young people safe online.

Free tickets are available vidowney.eventbrite.com or at the door.

“Vulnerable Innocence”, written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Dr. Charlene Doak-Gabauer, has received 34 awards at international film festivals.

Doak-Gabauer is the Canadian Ambassador to the United States Presidential Service Center, a teacher, and computer science expert. She is the author of “The Internet: Are Children in Charge?”

The film features child advocates and victims of predators. It concludes with a list of methods parents, and anyone who works with children, can employ for the online protection of children.

The panel includes Doak-Gebauer; Patrick Erlandson, founder of Father-Con; Clayton Cranford, author of “Parenting In The Digital World”; Elizabeth Gegner, founder The Freedom Ride Project; and Denise Gomez, who will speak of the real life consequences she experienced as a 15-year-old a decade ago.

Patrick Erlandson founded the nonprofit Father-Con in 2018 with a goal to raise awareness and arm the audience with tools to protect young people from being sexually assaulted and exploited.

The 2023 Father-Con Convention held at Warren High School drew a large crowd with keynote speaker Father Gregory Boyle of Homeboy Industries.

Father-Con will present a second screening of “Vulnerable Innocence” and panel discussion on Wednesday, March 20, 7 pm at the Laemmle Monica Film Center.