Winnipeg police are in the middle of what they describe as an unusual investigation. It may be the first of its kind in Winnipeg. A 16 year old girl is the victim of a sexual assault after she met someone over a telephone chat line. The case presents more problems than just finding the suspect.

Ads for telephone chat lines aren't hard to find. Just check any local paper. One of these ads caught the attention of a 16 year old Winnipeg female.

She called the line, met a man over the phone, and now Winnipeg police are investigating a sexual assault.

"They had some conversation for a period of time on this chat line and this suspect had asked her to attend to the house and she allowed this to take place" said Winnipeg police Cst. Bob Johnson.

Police say the suspect grabbed the girl, choked her, forced her to the floor and sexually assaulted her, then fled.

The chat line company is based in Toronto. The ad says you have to be 18 to call and once you get through, there's a warning.

It says "the grapevine does not prescreen callers and assumes no liability should you decide to meet anyone using this service"

Police say these chat lines present a problem, because there is no legislation preventing them.

The Manitoba defense criminal lawyers association says even if there were legislation, enforcing it would be difficult.

"The problem up to now has always been of course is that you can call, you can represent yourself as virtually any age you want and how are you gonna control it anyway" said Saul Simmonds of the Defense Laywers Association.

Police agree. Their advice is to use caution with these lines, and if you do arrange a meeting with someone, make sure it's in a public place.