Fifteen Indonesian trafficking victims are to be repatriated from Malaysia this week, the first batch among a total of 47 to be sent back, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said.

The women, who had been working as domestic helpers, had sought refuge at the Indonesian consulate in Penang, according to the IOM, which said many of the women lacked adequate travel documents.

"An IOM assessment completed in cooperation with Indonesian authorities last week revealed the women... are considered victims of trafficking under current internationally-regarded standards," the IOM said in a statement.

The first group of women would be sent home Thursday and would receive medical and psychological care at a recovery centre for trafficking victims at the Indonesian National Police hospital in Jakarta, it added.

300,000 Indon maids

Trafficking victims are exploited by unscrupulous labour agents and frequently subjected to physical, psychological and sexual abuse by their employers, the IOM said.

Malaysia is one of Asia's largest importers of labour with foreign workers, both legal and illegal, making up about 2.6 million of the country's 10.5 million workforce.

Nearly 300,000 Indonesian maids work in Malaysia, with cases of "maid abuse" emerging regularly.