Ms Saward, who was a victim of the infamous Ealing Vicarage rape in 1986, said the criminal justice system placed more emphasis on the rights of the defendants.

Using the slogan "The right to feel safe at home, safe at work and safe on the street", she said Mr Davis would achieve nothing by winning the election.

She said: "My message is not an attack on the Government. Nor is it an attack on the Opposition. It is not a negative message in any way, shape or form. It is a positive message that says put victims first."

Ms Saward waived her right to anonymity following her ordeal more than 20 years ago and wrote a book about what happened.

She has since campaigned for the rights of sex attack victims.

She added: "Too often, the criminal justice system puts far more emphasis on the rights of defendants and the needs of offenders.

"Victims of crime are not even afforded the luxury of official recognition; but are mere witnesses there to serve the court when the courts should be there to serve victims.

"But my message is not about denying rights to defendants, nor is it about locking criminals up and throwing away the key."

Ms Saward said there needed to be "balance" in the criminal justice system, claiming the "pendulum had swung too far in the favour of the wrong-doer".

The contest in the East Yorkshire constituency was triggered when Mr Davis resigned from the House of Commons.

Mr Davis said he decided to force the byelection over Government plans to hold terror suspects for up to 42 days without charge and what he sees as other erosions of civil liberties.

He will face 25 other candidates in the poll on July 10.

The Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats are not taking part. But a range of individuals and smaller parties have thrown their hats into the ring.

These include the well-known conspiracy theorist David Icke, Official Monster Raving Loony Party candidate Mad Cow-Girl and Miss Great Britain, Gemma Garrett.

Among other parties on the ballot paper is the Church of Militant Elvis Party and a representative of Make Politicians History.

Ms Saward added: "Byelections are about sending messages. David Davis has already sent his message by resigning his seat.

"And he will achieve nothing by winning the election.

"Despite all his claims, this by-election is not a national referendum."

Ms Saward launched her manifesto at the Willerby Manor Hotel, the same venue Mr Davis used to launch his campaign last Friday.

Ms Saward, who plans to juggle campaigning in the constituency with her family life back home in Cannock, Staffordshire, attacked Mr Davis for his views on closed circuit TV and the national DNA database.

"There can be no reason why everybody in the country should not be included (on the database). To do so would solve countless unsolved murders and violent crimes," she said.

The former Tory leadership challenger wants more effective use of the crime-fighting tools.

Later, Mr Davis was joined on his campaign trail in Willerby by Tory Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Chris Grayling.

Mr Davis said: "I'm not going to get into a slanging match with anybody else.

"They have all got a right to stand, that's their democratic right. That's one of the things I'm standing for – people's freedoms."

Mr Grayling said: "There's an awful lot of support for David, both personally and over the issue, and a lot of people saying he's absolutely right to do it."

The full list of candidates is:

Grace Christine Astley (Ind)

David Laurence Bishop (Church of the Militant Elvis Party)

Ronnie Carroll (Make Politicians History)

Mad Cow-Girl (The Official Monster Raving Loony Party)

David Craig (Ind)

Herbert Winford Crossman (Ind)

Tess Culnane (National Front Britain for the British)

Thomas Faithful Darwood (Ind)

David Michael Davis (The Conservative Party Candidate)

Tony Farnon (Ind)

Eamonn Fitzy Fitzpatrick (Ind)

Christopher Mark Foren (Ind)

Gemma Dawn Garrett (Miss Great Britain Party)

George Hargreaves (Christian Party)

Hamish Howitt (Freedom 4 Choice)

David Icke (no description given)

John Nicholson (Ind)

Shan Oakes (Green Party)

David Pinder (The New Party)

Joanne Robinson (English Democrats - Putting England First)

Jill Saward (Ind)

Norman Scarth (Ind)

Walter Edward Sweeney (Ind)

Christopher John Talbot (Socialist Equality Party)

John Randale Upex (Ind)

Greg Wood (Ind)