Many still bear the scars, scalds and wounds inflicted on them as recently as days before. Most are destined to remain anonymous, but the case of one of them, Nirmala Bonat, has achieved national notoriety.
Photographs of her dreadful injuries, allegedly inflicted by the Malaysian woman she worked for at an upmarket Kuala Lumpur condo, were splashed on the front pages of newspapers when she was discovered in 2004.
The 23-year-old says that after accidentally breaking a mug, she was abused every day until her breasts and back were covered with burns from a hot iron, and her face was swollen by regular beatings.
The alleged culprit has been brought to trial, but three years have gone by and it is nowhere near a conclusion.
"I'm hoping that the whole case is resolved as quickly as possible so I can return to Indonesia," Nirmala says in a voice barely above a whisper.
"I really regret coming here. This was my fate. Some people are lucky and get good jobs, but I was very unlucky," she says before breaking down in tears.
Sandasamy says that the protracted legal process is extremely damaging for women like Nirmala, who inevitably sink into depression as they are forced to put their lives on hold and endlessly relive the trauma.
"Very few cases go to court and the ones that do take a very long time. So where is the state's responsibility? If the employer is not taken to task, they become arrogant and feel they can do anything they want," she says.
Indonesian diplomat Tatang Razak, who heads the embassy's anti-abuse task force, says he can barely believe the treatment meted out to women who end up at the shelter, who also include many victims of sex trafficking.
Newspaper reports detail accounts of women allowed just one bowl of rice a day, allowed only a few hours sleep on the kitchen floor and made to wash dog kennels despite their Muslim beliefs.
Tatang says the situation has improved in recent years as Indonesia has demanded better treatment for its workers, but there are still tensions with the government uneasy about having so many here.
"Previously they welcomed Indonesians to Malaysia -- until 1970 it was very easy to become a Malaysian citizen," Tatang says. "Now that has all changed. They consider there are too many Indonesians. Their economy is advanced and they think they don't need the workers."
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