The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word ANIMALISE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
A
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Brutally affect" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case brutally affect = animalise.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ANIMALISE mean?
ANIMALISE verb- To represent in the form of an animal.
- To brutalize.
- To convert or produce material rich in animal substance.