Ealing rape victim will stand against David Davis

Jill Saward, one of the first rape victims in Britain to talk publicly about her experience, is standing against the former shadow home secretary David Davis in the by-election he forced over the issue of civil rights.

Mr Davis resigned from the Commons to publicise his opposition to such measures as the new law that will allow terrorist suspects to be detained without charge for up to 42 days.

But it was his opposition to the Government's DNA database and to CCTV cameras that prompted Ms Saward to add her name to the list of candidates in the Haltemprice and Howden by-election on 10 July. The full list of 26 names, published yesterday, is the longest in British political history – despite the absence of Labour or Liberal Democrat candidates.

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• Jill Saward: British liberty is about living without fear

Ms Saward, who has been campaigning on behalf of the victims of sexual violence since she was raped in the infamous Ealing vicarage attack 22 years ago, said: "David Davis appears to be very concerned about 'British liberty'. But what does it mean? I want men and women – including children – to be at liberty to walk the streets of our towns and cities without fear of violence in general – and sexual violence in particular; and to feel safe in their own homes and workplaces. And part of that 'British liberty' is to expect the law enforcement agencies to use every tool at their disposal to catch the people responsible for the attack – and to never give up.

"A search on the parliamentary website shows that David Davis's only contribution on rape is to ask four written questions about statistics. A search on the Conservative Party's website produces only two results for 'rape'. And David Davis, Shadow Home Secretary, has nothing to say on either of them."

Ms Saward was granted anonymity by the courts after she was raped in 1986 by burglars who also seriously injured her father Michael, the then Vicar of Ealing in west London, and her boyfriend. She decided to go public after a judge imposed longer sentences for the burglary than for the rape.

Her decision to stand in the East Yorkshire constituency will delight Labour ministers, who had hoped that an independent candidate could credibly challenge Mr Davis over civil rights. Ms Saward lives in Cannock, Staffordshire, and is expected to run her campaign through the media rather than in the constituency.

Mr Davis, who launches his by-election manifesto today, is supported by Colonel Tim Collins, the British officer who was praised for his speech before the invasion of Iraq. He also expects a "cavalcade" of supporters to come forward next week, including David Cameron and other senior Tories, the Labour MP Bob Marshall-Andrews and the civil rights campaigner Shami Chakrabati.

A tireless campaigner for victims of sexual violence

Jill Saward was 21 when she was raped by burglars who broke into her family home in Ealing, west London, in March 1986. Her father Michael, the Vicar of Ealing, and her boyfriend Joe were beaten and seriously injured. In a measure of the prejudice in the justice system at the time, the trial judge, Mr Justice Leonard, issued longer sentences for the burglary than the rape. When he retired, he said he regretted his decision.

Despite being granted anonymity by the courts, Ms Saward wrote a book, Rape: My Story, in 1990. She was one of the first victims to talk publicly about being raped, and ever since has been credited for her campaigning for victims of sexual violence. She is standing against David Davis because, she says, he stayed silent on the issue of rape while he was shadow Home Secretary.

The candidates

* David Davis, the Conservative Party candidate whose resignation sparked the election.

* Mad Cow-Girl, The Official Monster Raving Loony Party. Can that be her real name?

* Gemma Dawn Garrett – Miss Great Britain Party. Reprising her appearances in the Crewe and Henley by-elections.

* David Icke – scourge of the "global elite" of reptilian humanoids he believes secretly rule the world.

* Shan Oakes – Green Party.

* Jill Saward – independent.

* Plus 20 others.