Why are we judged harsher for being cowards than jerks?

[Anonymous]

While we get called out by both genders on that, if another guy does what I did, he's branded as a coward for a very long time. It doesn't stop. He's judged more than a jerk.

Last year I ran and left my girlfriend alone during a crisis; pretty much abandoned her. Luckily someone else (an older couple) got her out safely. I chickened out, didn't want to get hurt myself and I've been shamed/trashed ever since. She obviously became my ex girlfriend, blocked me and I was hated more than a jerk. Even my male friends weren't supporting me either.

Thing is yes I was a coward but there was a 50-70% that I could've been injured. I was scared too. Why are we judged so much for being scared?

Updates

+1 y

My friends don't see me the same ever since. They think I would bail out on them too if the going gets though.
I thought people had forgotten about last year already but nope... I'm still the subject of this shaming.

[Anonymous]

You answered your own question in the update. Cowardly men don't have your back, and nobody respects that.

[Asker]

She never forgave me for it. As soon as I found out she was safe, her respond (with a disgusted look in her face) was a ''I would've never left you, you chose your own safety over our history, over me, get the hell out of my life''.
I guess I can't go back in time. I acted like a coward and they're not forgetting about it yet. I wonder if this shaming will eventually go away.