It's a new way people are selling their bodies for sex. Police say it's happening here. High tech prostitution could even be in your neighborhood.

It starts with an advertisement. That leads to a face-to-face meeting and usually involves an exchange of sex for money. And it’s all happening online.

You’ve seen prostitution in the movies and on local streets. But did you ever think prostitution could be happening next door?

St. Joseph County High Tech Crimes Commander Mitch Kajzer told WSBT it is happening right here in South Bend, on the internet for everyone to see.

Kajzer said it’s a way for prostitutes to reach a lot of people.

St. Joseph County Health Department Disease Intervention Specialist Melissa Murawski said prostitutes are meeting people on websites like MySpace, Facebook and a variety of other websites.

Commander Kajzer said Craigslist is also a popular prostitution website.

Most major cities in the country have their own Craigslist website, and South Bend is no exception. Under a special section on Craigslist labeled erotic, WSBT found dozens of recent postings.

One woman’s ad reads ”I love to be intimate, touching, kissing, cuddling. I enjoy playing … I have plenty of toys.” That same woman also lists some of her services: exotic dance, nude massage, nude cleaning, escort services and long term relationships.

Some people with ads list prices. An outcall means the prostitute will come to you. An incall means you go to them.

Kajzer said many who solicit sex on Craigslist are very blatant, and don’t even try to hide their prostitution.

Some even post their phone numbers. So we called several of the men and women on Craigslist to ask for an interview. Everyone denied our request.

Disease and Intervention specialist Melissa Murawski said high tech prostitution isn’t as new as we might think. She said the St. Joseph County Health Department has been aware of it for at least 3 or 4 years.

In fact, Murawski hears all about online prostitution from her clients.

“If they need money now, they're going to go out on the street corner,” Murawski said. “If they're using it as more of a living, they're trying to keep a steady income, they're going to be doing more of the online [and] text messaging e-mail based prostitution."

Murawski told WSBT building a somewhat anonymous relationship through e-mail or text messaging can seem less dangerous than the streets.

"There's a safety in knowing who you're having sex with, even if it is for money," she explained.

But it isn’t necessarily safer. And police say they’re still seeing the same number of prostitutes on South Bend streets.

South Bend Police Lt. Scott Ruszkowski said the city made more than 65 prostitution arrests last year, but so far this year, that number is much lower.

Ruszkowski can drive up and down South Bend streets and point out prostitutes, out every day and night. He says many of the street officers recognize the women from prior arrests.

"The thing is,” he said. “You see it in broad daylight. But the number of ladies out here, they never decrease."

South Bend street officers struggle to find the necessary manpower for things like prostitution stings.

“When we had our mass retirement at the end of last year, we had to shift some people over into additional patrol duties,” explained South Bend Police Capt. Phil Trent. “[That] leaves us a little bit short when it comes to being able to do some of our more creative sting activities.”

St. Joseph County police are in a similar situation. They know online prostitution has been happening here for at least a year, but they haven’t made a single arrest for it.

High Tech Crimes Commander Mitch Kajzer said the biggest difficulty is manpower and resources. In fact, the High Tech Crimes unit only has one part time investigator doing undercover work.

Kajzer said he and his staff also have other priorities.

“The number one priority is always sexual crimes against children online,” Kajzer told WSBT. “Unfortunately the magnitude of those crimes is so huge."

But what about county employees like Disease Intervention Specialist Melissa Murawski who knows who some of the prostitutes are and where they live?

"We don't expect police to go out and do an HIV test on someone, so we know they don't expect us to do police work," Murawski said.

Murawski said prostitutes know it’s easier for them not to get caught if they’re going online. She’s legally required to keep all of her patient information confidential from police.

“It’s a tight line,” she acknowledged. “But we also do something police can’t — help [prostitutes] reduce their risk.”

And internet laws, or lack there-of, make it tough for detectives like Mitch Kajzer to do their job.

“There’s no controlling agency over the internet,” explained Kajzer. “So it’s kind of like the Wild West out there.”

That means online sex advertisements will keep popping up, and online prostitution will keep happening here.

High tech prostitution is also happening in other cities across the country. Other police departments are finding the resources to make arrests and prosecute those who are posting the sex ads online.

Here are stories about some of those arrests: