To wonder if I can report an assault that happened 17 years ago.

[probablytoolate]

I know this was such a long time ago now but I was in a relationship with a man when I was young and he attacked me so severely I'm still suffering from the impact which although I'm still working and living as normally as possible has left me with a slight disability from a break that's never healed despite operations there's a part of my body I will never have full use of so I continue to suffer and he gets on with his life.
I reported it to the police at the time and he admitted it I also had evidence from the hospital but I then dropped the charges which I regret but I had no idea the impact it would have on me later on and recently I read he's been charged with something similar and was let off with a suspended sentence which makes me feel like he's got away with it again.

So I read all the time about historical sexual crimes and people coming forward and seeing justice but I'm not sure if there's a time period for anything like assault or if 17 years later I have to let it go now.
The last thing I want is to try and get somewhere and they decide to take no further action due to how long ago it was because he'd be laughing at the fact I tried and to me that would make it worse.
Any thoughts please?

Are you in the UK? I always thought it wasn’t possible for a victim to decide to drop charges?

I think the fact that you declined to support a prosecution at the time (withdrew your statement) might mean it will now be too late.

(Not saying I don’t believe you just trying to understand what happened)

You can absolutely report it.

I think it’s probably unlikely (unless he has also been reported by other people for more crimes) that he would be charged. But you can report it and personally, if I were you and I felt mentally strong enough, I would.

It’s possible he’s done this to other women or will do it again in future, and if that’s the case your report could be very helpful. Plus, your account deserves to be heard, even if it just stays on file.

I am in the UK I did end up briefly going back to him which is why I didn't go through with it at the time but then he didn't change and I left shortly after, I know you must be wondering what I was thinking, I look back and wonder what I was thinking.

It takes some women many attempts to leave an abuser. I would never judge you or wonder what you were thinking. I've been there myself

The victim themselves doesn’t ‘drop the charges’ but the CPS may drop them so if the victim withdraws their statement or refuses to testify in court. I assume that’s what the OP means.

Sometimes (often, especially in domestic or sexual assault cases) the victim’s statement is the only substantial evidence to support a charge, so unless there’s other fairly compelling evidence to prove what happened, it’s often not possible to proceed with a prosecution unless the witness cooperates.

Honestly, OP, I’m not judging you. I was repeatedly beaten up by my ex partner when I was much younger (well over 20 years ago now) and I didn’t report him either and I didn’t immediately leave him. Like you, I look back and wonder what the hell I was thinking, but abusive relationships really do mess with your head and you simply do not think straight, or have nowhere else to go, or any number of other factors. You’ve done nothing wrong xx