Cryptic crossword clue
Lack of confidence as result of scrutiny, ie being mistreated 10

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word INSECURITY

I've seen this crossword clue in The Sunday Telegraph
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Lack of confidence" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case lack of confidence = insecurity.
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 INSECURITY mean?

INSECURITY noun
  1. A lack of security; uncertainty.
  2. The state of being subject to danger; vulnerability.

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