Hi Jim,
At first I thought I would stay away from this thread, as it is a bit triggering for me. But, I decided that I would like to add my two cents.
I reported the rapes (about) two or three years after they happened. (Since I was a minor when they occured, I have until I'm 35 to press charges...perhaps longer as the laws keep changing.) Anyway, I thought I was in a "good place" at that time. I was dealing with my issues, and I was even working as a rape crisis counselor at the same organization that had helped me not long before.
I worked with an attorney that was provided to by by the RCC, and we set up a date to file the report. I was told that I would be able to have whomever I wanted there for support, so I chose my good friend/fellow counselor as well as an RCC legal advocate. I was nervous, but at the same time I felt empowered and in control.
When I got to the police station, however, the detective took me to an interrigation room (just like the ones you see on Law and Order--you know, with the mirrored glass and everything), and my friend and the advocate were told that they could not stay in with me. I was so scared, and started to hyperventilate as the detective asked the most demeaning, victim-blaming questions while another (random) person took notes. When I finally left the police station (hours later), I felt like I had been run over by a truck.
That being said, I realize that this is not everyone's experience, and there was actually some good that came out of reporting--(it helped that I did so as I was stalked by my rapist for years after). But, I just want to confirm what some have said on this poast: Once you report/make a statement, things are out of your control. Even if one prosecutor says one thing, this doesn't mean that another prosecutor won't take the case and then do another.