But in reality, it was a problem detrimental to the people of the country. Apartheid encouraged and sustained discrimination and racism among the South African population. Stereotypes and judgments have always been assumed toward non-white people, and over time, a negative stigma has been added. Due to apartheid, the policy prohibited any relationships between whites and coloreds. Combating miscegenation was another law passed under apartheid. These laws imposed racial segregation for marriages and intimate relationships. A person could be criminalized for acting at these levels. Many citizens of the country have not been able to form the relationships they want. Interracial marriages were frowned upon by the majority of the population due to the negative stigma attached to discrimination against women.