Civil courage (sometimes also referred to as 'Social courage') is defined by many different standards, but the term is usually referred to when civilians stand up against something that is deemed unjust and evil, knowing that the consequences of their action might lead to their death, injury, or any other negative affect. Evil is a term describing that which is regarded as morally bad, intrinsically corrupt, wantonly destructive, inhumane, or wicked. ...

In many countries, such as France and Germany, civil courage is enforced by law; this means that if a crime is committed in public, the public is obliged to act, either by alarming the authorities, or by intervening in the conflict. If the crime is committed in a private environment, those that witness the crime are either to report it, or try to stop it.

The Bystander effect

The death of Kitty Genovese in 1964, Queens, New York, is often cited as a classic example of civil-courage failure. Some accounts allege that during a half-hour long attack, Kitty Genovese was raped and murdered in full view of thirty-eight witnessess, while none interfered, although these accounts are (In fact, none of the alleged 38 witnesses witnessed the entire attack, many were not aware that Genovese was in danger, and some did intervene by shouting at the attacker and calling authorities.) The bystander effect (also known as bystander apathy) is a psychological phenomenon where persons are less likely to intervene in an emergency situation when others are present than when they are alone. ... Kitty Genovese, picture from the New York Times article Thirty-Eight Who Saw Murder Didnt Call the Police . Catherine Genovese (1935 - March 13, 1964), commonly known as Kitty Genovese, was a New York City woman who was stabbed to death near her home in the Kew Gardens section of...

Criminologists argue that such passivity is a result of big-city life, teaching the people to take responsibility for themselves, thus ignoring others in need of help, or expecting others to interfere. Cowardice is another explanation of passivity.

See also: courage Courage is the ability to confront fear in the face of pain, danger, uncertainty or intimidation. ...

Awards

The Civil Courage Prize is owned by a private foundation which awards the Civil Courage Prize to civilians who have proven themselves in difficult situations. The recipient of the prize is awarded 50,000 US dollars.

External links

The Civil Courage Prize - official site

German Civil Courage Prize - awarded for those who fight for sexual equality

Articles:

• Civil courage and human dignity: how to regain respect for the fundamental values of western democracy