October 4, Vancouver, Canada

A Conference about Fathers in Family Transition

Married, single, thriving, or struggling — alongside leading experts in psychology, social work and masculinity, we’ll explore how to better help fathers in family transition. Why don’t fathers ask for help?

100 Diversed Audience

Witness good deeds in motion

See You in Vancouver!

The "Fatherbook"

The Fatherbook is bold new book for professionals who want to understand what fathers are really thinking, facing, and feeling. A decade of fieldwork, interviews, court observations, and raw human heartbreak have shaped this scientific and narrative inquiry into what modern fathers experience—and often endure—in silence. While public debates around gender, violence, and parenting grow louder, the internal world of men remains misunderstood. This book offers an evidence-based, emotionally intelligent look at male psychology, the impact of family systems, and how fatherhood is judged, tested, and sometimes quietly erased.

Exploring Male Psychology

This is a book for professionals, policymakers, advocates—and for any man who has sat in a courtroom wondering how love for his child became evidence against him. The Fatherbook does not excuse failure, nor does it glorify masculinity. Instead, it examines the psychological structures, emotional barriers, and cultural myths that shape male behavior in crisis. It is a guide, a witness, and a call to rethink what fairness really means in the lives of fathers and their children.

Sessions

Speakers

Languages

Attendees

About the event

Fathers 2025: Debates, Dialogue, and Discovery

This isn’t just a men’s event — it’s a space for dialogue across perspectives. From happily married fathers to those in crisis, from moms to therapists, from researchers to advocates — Fathers 2025 opens the floor to everyone ready to listen, learn, and speak honestly about fatherhood today.

Event Location

University of BC, Robson Square Main Auditorium

Event Date

Saturday Oct. 4, 2025

Fathers 2025 in vancouver

Redefining Fatherhood Together

A bold, inclusive event where fathers, professionals, and all genders come together to debate, reflect, and shape the future of fatherhood and masculinity.

Our team

Develop the Possibilities

Conference Schedule

Experts' Research and Views

Main Stream (Saturday, Oct 4)

Dr. Denise Hines

Unspoken Pain: The Hidden Epidemic of Domestic Abuse Against Men

Dr. Denise Hines is the Elisabeth Shirley Enochs Endowed Professor of Social Work in the Department of Social Work, College of Public Health at George Mason University. Dr. Hines’ expertise includes the causes, consequences, and prevention of family violence and sexual assault, with a particular focus on under-recognized victims of intimate partner violence. She also has a specialization in translating university-based research for policymakers.

Dr. Alexandra Lysova

Men and Fathers as Victims: New Insights into the Complex Realities of Intimate Partner Violence in Canada and Beyond

Dr. Alexandra Lysova is a Full Professor of Criminology at Simon Fraser University. With over 20 years of research experience in Russia and Canada, her work focuses on intimate partner violence (IPV) and homicide, with particular attention to men’s victimization. She has examined men’s polyvictimization, experiences of abuse as fathers, barriers to help-seeking, and interactions with the criminal justice system. She has published over 80 works and received the Sterling Prize in Support of Controversy for her research on male IPV victims.

Dr. Don Dutton

The Gender Paradigm in Family Courts: How Social Science Myths Shape Custody Decisions

Dr. Don Dutton, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UBC, is a leading expert on family violence. Since the 1970s, he has researched criminal justice responses to wife assault, developed a psychological model for intimate abusiveness, and served as a therapist in a court-mandated program for violent men. He has authored 11 books, published over 125 journal articles, and appeared as an expert witness in major trials, including the O.J. Simpson case. He continues to lecture, research, and consult on issues of abuse and violence.

Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj

Stories from India: A Pandemic of False Accusations and Plight of Father's Denied Sight of Their Kids

Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj is a Documentary Filmmaker & Men’s Rights Activist from India. Her film “Martyrs of Marriage” on misuse of Dowry & Domestic Violence laws in India received global release on NETFLIX in 2018 & has been showcased at Judicial Academies, Law Colleges, Courts & Media institutes. Her work focuses on false accusations against men in India under gender specific laws, need for gender neutral laws, plight of fathers in child custody & matrimonial disputes. Her NGO Ekam Nyaay Foundation is into counselling, content, on-ground interventions & research related to men’s issues.

Jen Abraham

Application, Coding, Live

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus.

Other Events (June - September)

Tania Damian

Listening to Father Stories from Real Fathers

Every story begins with someone willing to listen. Listening to Father Stories from Fathers is a unique event where volunteers, students, and future professionals can sit alongside fathers and hear their lived experiences—without judgment, analysis, or intervention. This is not a workshop or a lecture, but a chance to be present with real voices and real emotions. By creating this open space, we honor the power of listening itself, and the fathers who often go unheard.

Tania Damian

How I Went Through The Years

Some journeys through divorce are marked not by conflict, but by quiet perseverance and steady love. How I Went Through the Years is an evening with a father who, alongside his ex-wife, found a way to co-parent with respect and care. Through his story, we’ll hear how their children grew up with stability and minimal trauma, and how collaboration—not rivalry—can shape a healthier family future. This gathering is for anyone who wants to learn from lived experience about resilience, cooperation, and the long view of parenting.

Tania Damian

Father’s Day Celebration for Those Who Cannot Celebrate

Not everyone looks forward to Father’s Day. For those facing distance, absence, or loss, this day can be especially hard. This gathering is for fathers who can’t be with their children, for children missing their fathers, and for anyone who can’t celebrate with a loved one this year. We’ll come together for a morning of gentle storytelling, shared snacks, and connection. You’ll also have the option to write a personal message or story in honor of the father or child who isn’t present.

Tania Damian

Motivation and Minds

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus.

Tania Damian

Motivation and Minds

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus.

Pricing

Hear Stories, Meet People

Regular Admission

Access to speeches with back seats or side seats.

What's included?

Early Bird Special

Full sofa seats with 1-day lunch meal included in the package*

What's included?

(n/a)

VIP Pass

Logos placed on all publications and on Slides.

What's included?

Our Sponsors

Hotel TBD

Please stay tuned for the list of accommodations around the venue.

fathers 2025

Bringing Changemakers Together for ACTION!

A live event for dads, professionals, and community voices to rethink fatherhood beyond stereotypes and silence. Join structured debates and candid conversations on topics like masculinity, parenting roles, emotional labor, and family transitions — with input from all sides.

Contact the Organizer