Malawi's laws prohibiting consensual same-sex relations foster a climate of fear and fuel violence and discrimination, Human Rights Watch has said in a new report. A punitive legal environment combined with social stigma allows police abuse to go unchecked and prevents many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people from reporting violence or getting medical care according to the report. Human Rights Watch says that lack of clarity about the legal status of same-sex conduct leaves LGBT people vulnerable to arbitrary arrests, physical violence, and routine discrimination.