Background <p>Child sexual abuse perpetrators (CSAPs) differ from the usual criminal stereotype in terms of their modus operandi. This study examines the relationship between emotional intelligence, their expectational trust (i.e., expectational benevolence/malevolence), and awareness of the CSAPs’ characteristics and grooming methods.</p> Method <p>This study employed a correlational, cross-sectional research design within a quantitative framework. In this correlational study, 1137 senior pre-service teachers enrolled in the faculty of education.</p> Results <p>According to the findings, emotional intelligence predicted awareness of CSAPs. Besides, in the relationship between emotional intelligence and awareness of CSAPs, expectational malevolence played a mediating role. Namely, individuals with high emotional intelligence can more easily sense the expectational malevolence of the other party and know more about the characteristics of CSAPs.</p> Conclusions <p>This study highlights the importance of emotional intelligence and expectational malevolence in enhancing individuals’ awareness and grooming strategies of CSAPs. These psychological capacities may serve as foundational elements in the training of future professionals.</p>