Abstract: A safety latch for securing doors, windows and the like includes a plunger slidably received within a housing and movable between extended and retracted positions. A first end of the plunger is freely available for engagement with a hole, recess, strikeplate, or the like externally of the housing, and a second end of the plunger within the housing includes a cam member. A retracting member is interconnected with the plunger through the use of an intermediate member located between and connected at its opposite ends to the plunger and the retracting member. Either a first end of the intermediate member or the retracting member includes a cam follower engageable with the cam member included on the plunger. When a force is applied to the retracting member to pull the plunger into the housing from the extended position toward the retracted position, the plunger is freely movable within the housing to the retracted position.