330,000 children have been victims of sex abuse in France's Catholic Church over the past 70 years, AFP reports, citing the country's first major report on the phenomenon.

These include abuses committed by some 3,000 priests and others involved in the church, crimes that Catholic authorities have covered up for decades.

The head of the conference of French bishops asked for forgiveness from the victims, about 80% of whom were boys. The bishops will meet on Tuesday to discuss next steps.

The independent commission called on the church to take decisive action to condemn mistakes and silence. It also called on the Catholic Church to help compensate victims, especially in cases that are too old to be prosecuted.

According to the head of the commission, nearly 60% of men and women who have been sexually abused face serious problems in their emotional or sexual life.