One in five girls and one in ten boys in Northern Ireland will suffer some form of child sexual abuse, according to the agency monitoring sex offenders in the community.
UTV obtained the figures, as the government prepares to launch a major public awareness campaign to tackle the issue.
Public Protection Arrangements Northern Ireland, which monitors sex offenders in the community, said up to 80% of sex offences are never reported.
It claims one in five girls and one in ten boys will suffer some form of child sexual abuse.
Their spokesman, Nick Carson, told UTV that "successive studies have shown these are accurate figures."
"We have to get to the stage where people feel confident to report sexual offences so that we can get those people before the courts to be prosecuted and convicted," he said.
There is continuing controversy about where to house convicted sex offenders when they are released from prison.
It has emerged that 124 live in South Belfast, 20 of whom are likely to cause serious harm.
Seventy-six live in North Belfast, while 74 are in Derry.
A member of the District Policing Partnership in South Belfast wants the PSNI's public protection unit to explain how sex offenders are monitored and managed in the area.
Vincent Parker said there are two schools, a primary school and a nursery school in the Holy land and the university district within 200 yards of an area where there are a number of bail hostels housing sex offenders.
"I think the PSNI and the other agencies involved should explain the system for managing and grading offenders," Mr Parker told UTV.
© UTV News